16.65 (iii) Physical achievements: No physical targets were fixed for various components of developmental activities under DDP in the Sixth Plan. The physical achievement has been as follows:
TABLE 16.3
Physical Achievements of Desert Development Programme
1980-85
1. Afforestation
(i) Plantation '000 ha 53.87
(ii) Avenue and Shelter belts
plantations '000 km. 32.61
(iii) Sand dune stabilisation '000 ha. 12.09
2. Irrigation potential created " " 7.88
3. Area treated under soil
conservation " " 2.55
4. No. of cross bred lambs
born/distributed 6411
5. No. of milk collection
centres set up 721
6. No. of Veterinary dispensaries
set up 161
7. Employment generated '000 mandays 8799
Strategy for the Seventh Plan 16.66 The sub-group on Area Development and Land Reforms of the Seventh Plan working group on Rural Development has recommended a higher allocation of funds for the hot arid areas; it has recommended that the existing rate of Rs. 10 lakhs should be raised to Rs. 15 lakhs per 1000 sq. kms. to start with and gradually to Rs. 25 lakhs per 1000 sq. kms. in the terminal year of the Plan (1989-90) with corresponding ceilings of Rs. 4 crores per district per annum to begin with and Rs. 6 crores in the last year.
16.67 For the cold arid areas, a total allocation of Rs. 25 crores has been recommended for the Seventh Plan. The scale of funding for the cold arid areas from 1985-86, would be Rs. 75 to 175 lakhs per annum per district, as against Rs. 50 lakhs at present. This step-up in the allocation is in line with the step-up for the hot arid areas.
16.68 The Working Group has also recommended that 1/3rd of the total allocation would be earmarked for 'core' activities to be entirely financed by the Central Government while the allocation for the remaining activities would be shared equally between the Centre and the State Governments. The identification of 'core' items under DDP will be difficult, as these will vary from region to region. It is not, therefore, proposed to accept this recommendation.
16.69 The Working Group has further recommended special financing dispensation in respect of sand dune stabilisation and shelter belt plantations, since these two items are considered crucial to arresting further desertification. The schemes under this programme have to be taken up for large stretches of area without any gap in between. To boost up animal husbandry in these areas, it is also essential to develop the pastures for the livestock. The accepted strategy for drought proofing has been to develop the area on watershed basis and each such mini-watershed should serve as the basic unit for planning and further development. All the schemes relating to planning and development of such watersheds on scientific basis should have special financing dispensation to achieve tangible results.
16.70 In para 38 of the Approach to the Seventh Five Year Plan it has been stated that "in the case of Desert Development Programme the need to give greater thrust to it, if necessary, by remodelling it on the lines of other special area programmes like the Hill Area and Tribal Area Programmes will have to be examined". To comply with this, not only will the allocations for this programme have to be stepped up to the level worked out on the revised norms recommended by the Working Group but also the entire funds needed will have to be provided by the Central Government.
16.71 Briefly, the financial implications of DDP during the Seventh Plan (1985-90) is as follows:-
TABLE 16.4
Financial outlay for DDP in Seventh Plan
(Rs. lakhs)
1985-86 3674.10
186-87 4286.45
1987-88 4898.80
1988-89 5511.15
1989-90 6123.50
TOTAL 24494.00
337
In the Seventh Plan, the entire amount will be provided to States by modifying and converting the existing 50 per cent matching Centrally Sponsored Scheme into a 100 per cent Central Scheme.
Border Areas Development Programme 16.72 A new programme for the development of border areas is proposed to be taken up in the Seventh Plan. An amount of Rs. 200 crores has been provided as part of the Special Areas Development Programme for this programme. The development of border areas has taken on added sensitivity and importance due to developments in the recent past. In order that focussed attention is paid to the balanced development of sensitive border areas. it has been decided to initiation a programme for the development such border areas, in the form of a 100 per cent Centrally-funded programme. The programme will be administered under the aegis of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
338
ANNEXURE-16.1
Desert Development Programme
List of Districts Covered under the Desert Development Programme (DDP)
State District No. of Area ('000 sq.
Blocks kms)
1 2 3 4
1. Rajasthan 1. Jaisalmer 3 38.4
2. Jodhpur 9 22.8
3. Nagaur 11 17.7
4. Pali 10 12.4
5. Barmer 8 28.4
6. Jalore 7 10.6
7. Bikaner 4 27.2
8. Churu 7 16.8
9. Jhunjhunu 8 5.9
10. Sikar 8 7.7
11. Sri Ganaganagar 9 20.6
Sub-total (Rajasthan) 84 208.589%
2. Gujarat 1. Banskantha 6 7.92
2. Mehsana 2 1.92
Sub-Total (Gujarat) 8 9.844%
plus (1)
3. Haryana 1. Sirsa 4 4.1
2. Hissar 10 6.6
3. Bhiwani 7 5.9
4. Rohtak 5 4.0
Sub/total (Haryana) 26 20.67%
4. Himachal 1. Lahaul & Spiti1n.a.
Pradesh 2. Kinnaur1n.a.
5. Jammu & 1. Leh 5 n.a.
Kashmir 2. Kargil 1 n.a.
plus (4)
TOTAL 21 126(131)
(Figures in bracket show the number of blocks covered during the
Seventh Plan)
Total Area: (i) Hot Desert 240 thousand sq. km. or 2.4 lakh sq. km.
(ii) Cold Desert: 107.83 thousand sq. km. or 1.08 lakh
sq. km. (part occupied illegally by Pakistant and China).
339
340