Friday, June 21, 2013

Government approves re-structuring of centrally sponsored schemes

The Union Cabinet has decided to restructure the existing Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS)/ Additional Central Assistance (ACA) schemes in the Twelfth Five Year Plan into 66 schemes, including Flagship programmes. This includes 17 Flagship programmes with significant outlays for major interventions required in health, education, irrigation, urban development, infrastructure, including rural infrastructure, skill development, etc. 

Last month, a Group of Ministers, headed by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, had approved merging of 147 CSS into 70 schemes.  The ministerial panel had approved setting up of a flexi-funds system in each scheme, under which state governments can use 10% of the Budget allocated for CSS within the broader framework of the flagship programme. For better utilisation of funds under CSS, the panel of ministers had approved transferring of funds from the central government to the state consolidated funds and not directly to the implementing agencies.

For each new CSS/ACA/Flagship scheme, at least 25 per cent of funds may be contributed by the General Category States and 10 percent of funds by the Special Category States including J&K, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. 

The merger proposal was in line with the recommendations of the Chaturvedi committee, which had suggested bringing down CSS to 59 from 147 to avoid overlap.

These arrangements will come into force for the remaining years of the Twelfth Five Year Plan and will help in optimum utilisation of resources for desired results.

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