August 23, 2001

    Integrated Wastelands Development Programme aims at promoting the generation of employment in the rural areas besides enhancing people’s participation at all stages in the development of wastelands – leading to sustainable development and equitable sharing of the benefits. It is a 100 per cent Central sector scheme.

    The Ministry of Rural Development has released Rs.47.83 lakhs to Bhilwara district of Rajasthan State towards the expenditure which will be incurred on implementation of Wastelands Development Project during the year 2001-2002.

    The Ministry has released Rs.2.98 crore as next instalment of Central assistance under Employment Assurance Scheme (EAS) for completion of on-going watershed projects during 2001-2002 to two districts of Orissa. These distrsicts are – Koraput and Naupada.

    Rs.154.27 lakh has been released to Koraput and Rs.144.09 lakh to Naupada district for EAS Watershed Projects. Prior to 31^st March, 1999, guidelines of EAS stipulated that 50% of the funds released under EAS in the areas under Drought Prone Areas Programme (DPAP) and Desert Development Programme (DDP) and up to 40% of the funds in the other areas were required to be spent on watershed development projects and other related activities. However, as a part of an exercise aimed at rationalising the structure of various schemes, EAS was retained mainly as a wage employment scheme and sanctioning of new watershed projects was discontinued w.e.f. 1^st April, 1999. The States had, in the meanwhile, created liabilities in respect of watershed development projects already sanctioned. The Government decided that the Central share may be released to the States in three years. The expenditure on implementation of the programmes is to be shared on 75:25 basis between the Centre and the State respectively.