Page 1 of 8
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at
http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/
ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 03 Issue 06
May 2017
Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 113
Rural Development Schemes/Yojanas Focusing on First Common Review
Mission: A Discussion
Dr. Shankar Chatterjee
Former Prof &Head (CPME)
NIRD &PR, Hyderabad-500 030, Telangana, India
E-mail: shankarjagu@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
In 2016, Department of Rural Development, Ministry of Rural Development, the Government of
India has reviewed some of the rural development programmes. The review Report under the
title of “First Common Review Mission” as thematic report has been published by the Ministry
and based on this Report few issues are presented here for the benefit of readers. So this article is
purely based on secondary sources covered four schemes/yojanas viz., Mahatma Gandhi
National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana -
National Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojna –Grameen (PMAY- G), Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).
The review was carried out in eight states in 2016 and the states are Andhra Pradesh, Madhya
Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan and Tripura. Again from each
state, two diverse districts were selected for the study based on the criteria of agriculturally
backward, high level of poverty, tribal dominated areas vis-à-vis industrially advance or located
in coastal areas. In each state four CRM members visited in two diverse districts from 5th May to
9
th May 2016. Based on the study and the discussions carried out by the officials and local
persons, Report was prepared under the title of “First Common Review Mission”. This author
based on the Report few issues pertaining to MGNREGS, DAY-NRLM, PMAY-G and PMGSY
has presented for the benefit of readers and scholars.
Key words: CRM, Rural Development, Yojana/Scheme.
Introduction:
The rural development schemes/yojanas in
India may be categorized into four main
blocks viz., employment generation (self
and wage), infrastructure creation, social
security (pension etc.) and housing.
The Government of India has
launched time to time different
schemes/yojanas for the welfare of the rural
inhabitants and time to time, these
schemes/yojanas were reviewed/evaluated
for its better implementation and in many
Page 2 of 8
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at
http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/
ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 03 Issue 06
May 2017
Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 114
occasions these were rechristened or merged
with one another. Recently, Department of
Rural Development, Ministry of Rural
Development, the Government of India has
reviewed some of the rural development
yojanas/schemes (this type of review is first
in the country). The review Report under the
title of “First Common Review Mission” as
thematic Report has been published by the
Ministry and based on this Report few issues
are presented here. So this article is purely
based on secondary sources. The author has
highlighted Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Employment Guarantee Scheme
(MGNREGS), Deen Dayal Antyodaya
Yojana - National Livelihoods Mission
(DAY-NRLM), Pradhan Mantri Awaas
Yojna –Grameen (PMAY-G), Pradhan
Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).
This „First Common Review Mission‟
(CRM, henceforth CRM will be used) was
conducted in eight states viz. Andhra
Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand,
Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan
and Tripura in 2016. Again from each state,
two diverse districts were selected for the
study based on the criteria of agriculturally
backward, high level of poverty, tribal
dominated areas etc., vis-à-vis industrially
advance or located in coastal areas. In each
state four CRM members visited in the two
districts from 5
th May to 9
th May 2016.
Based on the study and the discussions
carried out with local the officials and local
persons, Report was prepared under the title
of “First Common Review Mission”. It is
also observed from the Report that before
visiting the areas 1-day workshop was
organized for orientation and after the study,
again 1-day workshop was held to share the
findings with senior officials of the Ministry
which is undoubtedly commendable
measure. One can see the entire Report in
the Ministry‟s website, if interested. This
author has penned down following issues
pertaining to the schemes/yojanas based on
the Report.
MGNREGS: This wage employment
scheme was launched in the country under
the Act known as the Mahatma Gandhi
National Rural Employment Guarantee Act,
2005 (MGNREGA) as scheme it is known
as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Employment Guarantee Scheme
(MGNREGS).
The mandate of the Act is to provide at least
100 days of guaranteed wage employment in
a financial year to every rural household
whose adult members volunteer to do
unskilled manual work. The few of the
important goals are:
i) Social protection for the most vulnerable
people living in rural India by providing
employment opportunities.
Page 3 of 8
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at
http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/
ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 03 Issue 06
May 2017
Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 115
ii) Livelihood security for the poor through
creation of durable assets, improved water
security, soil conservation and higher land
productivity
iii) Drought-proofing and flood management
in rural India
iv) Empowerment of the socially
disadvantaged, especially women,
Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Schedules
Tribes (STs), through the processes of a
rights-based legislation
v) Strengthening decentralized, participatory
planning through convergence of various
anti-poverty and livelihoods initiatives
vi) Deepening democracy at the grass-roots
by strengthening Panchayati Raj Institutions
vii) Effecting greater transparency and
accountability in governance
Thus, MGNREGA is a powerful instrument
for ensuring inclusive growth in rural India
through its impact on social protection,
livelihood security and democratic
empowerment
(nrega.nic.in/Circular_Archive/archive/Ope
rational_guidelines). Based on the CRM
Report, following few issues are cited.
In Andhra Pradesh, MGNREGS workers
were organized in groups known as Shrama
Shakti Sangham. These groups facilitate to
mobilize the workers vis-à-vis
administration and thus monitoring is
carried out smoothly indicating less
corruption. The case of Maharashtra
portrays different picture as drought affected
district like Ahmednagar, 18 Gram
Panchayats (GPs) had no work. In
Rajasthan labour budget was not prepared at
GP level and no minutes through register
were shown to the team members. In
Madhya Pradesh when the team visited
tribal districts, observed no panchayats were
provided with computer. In the state of
Karnataka the team observed that approved
shelf of projects was about 150 percent of
job demand. And women participation was
quite high as it was hovering around 85
percent. In Jharkhand since demand for
work was quite high in the months of April,
May and June so state Government has
opened two or more MGNREGS works in
each panchayat.
As observed by the team, in Andhra
Pradesh and Odisha the demand for work
was more in summer season as it is difficult
to get employment in other sectors. As per
the Report in terms of physical and financial
achievements, Tripura is an outlier and has
performed extra ordinarily well. The State
achieved 5.38 crore person days (average 94
person days) spending Rs.940 crore (70%)
on wage and Rs.398 crore (30%) on
materials and Rs.55 crore (4.02%) on
administrative expenditure.
