September 06, 2001

    The Integrated Wastelands Development Programme (IWDP) is to improve the productivity of land and poverty alleviation through generation of employment in the rural areas, active participation of people at all stages in the development of wastelands. It is 100% Central Sector Scheme. The main objectives of the programme are to develop wastelands based on village and micro-watershed plans, to promote overall economic development and improving the socio-economic conditions of the poor and disadvantages sections of the society living in and around the programme areas.

    Ministry of Rural Development has released Rs.41.15 lakhs for development of wasteland to the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), Keonjhar district of Orissa towards the expenditure which will be incurred on implementation of the project during 2001-2002. An amount of Rs.48.11 lakhs has been released to DRDA, Ajmer district of Rajasthan for wastelands development. The funds would be utilised for Tajpura Watershed of Arain Block of Ajmer District (Project III) during the year 2001-2002.

    The Ministry has released Rs.12.79 crores as next instalment of Central assistance under Employment Assurance Scheme (EAS) for completion of on-going watershed projects during 2001-2002 to Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Maharshtra and Rajasthan. Ministry has released Rs.2.36 crore for on-going watershed projects to four districts of Madhya Pradesh. These districts are Betul, Shivpuri, Khandwa and Balaghat.

    An amount of Rs.4.23 crore has been released for watershed projects to two districts of Maharashtra – Aurangabad and Yavatmal as Central share of assistance during the current financial year.

    Ministry has released grants-in-aid amounting to Rs.4.97 crore as next instalment as Central share of assistance under Employment Assurance Scheme (EAS) – watershed component to Rajasthan. The amount would be spent for the completion of on-going watershed projects of the seven districts of Rajasthan during the year 2001-2002. These districts are Ajmer, Bhilwara, Dungarpur, Udiapur, Churu, Bikaner and Rajsamand.

    An amount of Rs.1.23 crore has been released to Haryana as next instalment of Central assistance under EAS-watershed component for the completion of on-going project of Bhiwani district during 2001-2002.

    Prior to 31^st March, 1999, the 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 pat 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.