OTHER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES
Introduction 20.1 In this chapter are covered some of the programmes of development which are not clearly allocable under any of the major heads of development included in previous chapters. These include the public distribution system, training, strengthening of the State Planning machinery, statistics, stationary and printing, and rehabili- tion of displaced persons. The following paragraphs give in brief the details of programmes of development in these areas to be taken up as part of the Seventh Plan.
Public Distribution System 20.2 The public distribution system (PDS) is recognised as a permanent feature of the strategy to control prices, reduce fluctuations and achieve an equitable distribution of essential goods. Since an efficient public distribution system requires a nexus between production, procurement, transportation, storage, and distribution of the selected commodities brought under the system, the Sixth Plan underlined the need for a selective approach and a certain flexibility in assessing the essentiality of commodities for public distribution. Though from the point of view of needs of the common man, cereals, sugar, edible oil, soft coke, kerosene, controlled cloth, tea, coffee, toilet and washing soaps, matchboxes, and exercise books for childern were considered such essential items, the Central Government confined its responsibility to seven commodities, viz., wheat, rice, sugar, imported edible, oil kerosene, soft coke, and controlled cloth. These seven commodities constitute the core of the public distribution system. It was, however, not considered necessary that the PDS all over the country should have a standardised list of commodities. The different regions could have different needs and preferences depending upon local circumstances, and might add to these seven commodities by arranging to procure these on their own or through the agencies nominated by them. Some State Governments have, therefore, been distributing a large number of essential commodities through fair price shops. The Central Government have also been assisting the State Governments by arrangements with manufacturers of certain commodities of mass consumption like toilet soaps, matchboxes, torch cells, razor blades, cycle tyres and tubes and in supplying these commodities at wholesale prices to the State Governments for distribution through the public distribution system. This State Governments have been advised to make full use of this facility so that consumers can have access to those commodities at reasonable prices.
20.3 The working of the PDS is periodically reviewed in consultation with the State Governments and corrective measures are taken from time to time to improve the supply of various essential commodities to the consumers. At the Centre, an Advisory Council on Public Distribution System has been constituted to review its working from time to time. For supervision over the public distribution system all the States have, on the suggestion of the Central Government, set up Consumers' Advisory Committees at district and tehsil levels in some form or the other. The States have also been asked to strengthen their administrative infrastructure for improving the PDS. As a result of effective implementation, essential com- modities are reaching the weaker sections of society. For example, during 1983-84 the PDS had a definite stablising impact on the prices of all the items.
20.4 Expansion of the public distribution system has been made an important point of action in the new 20-Point Programme. Special emphasis is being given to increasing the number of fair price shops in the hitherto under-served and unserved areas and on organising mobile shops in far-flung regions. The main thrust of expansion is in the rural areas with special attention to remote and inaccessible areas, so that the public distribution system becomes supplementary to the poverty alleviation programme.
20.5 The total number of fair price shops has increased from 2.39 lakhs in March, 1979 to 3.15 lakhs in January, 1985. The volume of sales through the public distribution system has increased from 17.94 million tonnes in 1979 to 24.77 million tonnes in 1984.
20.6 After detailed discussions with the State/UT representatives, outlays of Rs. 41.21 crores and Rs. 2.80 crores have been allocated for the States and UTs respectively under the States'/UT's plans for Civil Supplies. In addition, an outlay of Rs. 2.50 crores has been made in the Central Plan for strengthening the public distribution system.
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Training 20.7 The successful implementation of the Plan depends on the efficiency and effectiveness with which personnel engaged at various levels undertake their tasks and achieve results. Their performance will be determined not only by the tools and techniques used by them, but also their attitudes and motivation. For building up the capabilities as well as inclucating the desired attitudes, training and development of human resources assumes paramount importance. Investment in human resources directly contributes to economic development and growth. Over the last few Plan periods, training has received great attention and emphasis. At present, there is a large number of institutions organising training programmes in various sectors. In addition, there are in-house training organisations agencies, on-the-job training systems, etc. Also, provisions are made for training under different programmes and schemes in areas and sectors such as Health, Education, Rural Development, Irrigation and Power. Often these training efforts are conducted without enough preparation, interaction and coordination, resulting either in duplication of efforts or indequate training impact. There is need to involve the Training Division in the Department of Personnel and Training when other Ministeries develop their training schemes under various programmes. Similarly, there should also be interaction with the Training Division when strategies for training of personnel employed in public sector undertakings are formulated.
20.8 There has also been some sectoral imbalance in that the training effort hitherto has been concentrated more in the organised, urban-based oriented sectors, and has been generally concerned with personnel at senior levels. During the Seventh Plan, the training efforts will have to be widened to cover effectively the rural and unorganised sectors and lower and middle level personnel also. The National Convention on Human Resources Development organised by the Indian Society for Training and Development and the Planning Commission in January 1985 has identified a number of tasks in relation of training and development. Government, industry various agencies, training institutions and professional bodies will have an important role to play in undertaking these tasks.
20.9 To supplement some of the training efforts for Government and project personnel, as well as to provide further catalytic inputs, a Central scheme on Training for Development Administration was initiated in 1976-77. This scheme will be continued in the Seventh Plan, with coverage extended to new areas. Some highlights of the scheme are:
(a) Training to cover not only tools and techniques, but also to sensitise Government personnel at different levels and for the development of the required attitudes;
(b) Coverage of middle and operational levels, to the extent possible;
(c) More emphasis on sectors relating to Plan priorities, e.g., food, agriculture, irrigation, rural development, energy and infrastructure and on aspects such as environmental planning, in addition to planning and monitoring;
(d) More emphasis on training 'software' development e.g., standard training/instruction kits in different languages, training materials, audio visual modes, etc,;
(e) Training of trainers to ensure a multiplier effect;
(f) Use of devices such as correspondence courses and media such as television, for large scale training efforts;
(g) Taking training to the 'doorsteps' of the trainees;
(h) Special emphasis on training of personnel in the North-East region, hill areas and backward areas;
(i) Research studies, involving identification of training needs, inventory of training resources and evaluation of training efforts;
(j) Dissemination of training material and information through publications;
(k) Development of a central focal point for undertaking all technical functions in regard to training for development administration.
20.10 To support decentralisation as an important strategy during the Seventh Plan, there is considerable need for training at the District level in planning, implementation and monitoring. For this purpose, special training teams need to be formed in the districts. These teams could consist of experienced officers in district departments whose services could be utilised to impart training to district and block/field officers. Where necessary, the hell) of the State training institutions and other institutions located in the district could be taken.
20.11 Development of simple programmes for lower level functionaries in understanding of the development programmes, simple techniques of surveys, area planning methodology, data analysis, and project planning are also aspects that require attention. Specific training schedules are to be drawn up in the Seventh Plan as part of the overall thrust in the area of training for development in the Seventh Plan.
20.12 A provision of Rs. 4.93 crores has been made for training in the Seventh Plan under the Head 'Others'.
Strengthening of Planning Machinery 20.13 As tar back as 1971, the Planning Commission had felt that there was a need to strengthen the planning apparatus in most of the States, as with the existing set up
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it would not be possible for them to effectively fulfil the task of formulation of State Plans. The Planning Commission had, therefore, advised the State Governments to set up apex planning bodies at the State level and to strengthen the planning machinery at the State and District levels for improving the process of plan formulation and implementation. For organising the State Planning Departments on a functional basis, the States were advised to set up the following units:
(i) Perspective Planning Unit;
(ii) Monitoring, Plan formulation & Evaluation Unit;
(iii) Projects formulation Unit;
(iv) Regional/District Planning Unit; and (v) Plan Coordination Unit.
20.14 To provide an impetus to the States for strengthening/reorganising their planning apparatus, a Centrally/sponsored scheme of strengthening the States' planning machinery was introduced from the financial year 1972-73. Under this scheme, two-thirds of the expenditure incurred by the States is reimbursed, on the basis of actuals (within the approved ceilings). The scheme was continued in the Fifth and Sixth Plan and extended to the district level from 1982-83, with the modification that the expenditure on District planning machinery would be shared equally between the Centre and the State Governments. The scheme was continued in the Sixth Plan with the usual proviso that the expenditure incurred on staff appointed upto 31st March, 1979 was to be treated as committed expenditure and was to be financed from the States' own resources.
Implementation of the Scheme 20.15 Following the introduction of the Centrally-sponsored scheme of strengthening the planning machinery in the States, the apex planning bodies, variously called State Planning Boards/State Planning Commissions, etc., have been set up and are functioning in all the States except Sikkim. Since the introduction of the scheme in 1972- 73, almost all States have taken advantage of it to strengthen their apex planning bodies and their Planning Departments. During the Sixth Five Year Plan (1980-85), a total of Rs. 267.90 lakhs was released to the State Governments by way of Central assistance.
20.16 As already mentioned, an important development in the Sixth Plan was the extension of the scheme to the district level from 1982- 83. The States of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala and Maharashtra have availed of Central assistance during the Sixth Plan for strengthening their district level planning bodies. Central assistance of Rs. 79.05 lakhs was released to them for this purpose.
Seventh Five Year Plan 20.17 It is proposed to continue the scheme in its present form in the Seventh Plan (1985-90), with the proviso that the expenditure on the staff appointed/sanctioned upto 31st March, 1985 would be met from the non-Plan budget of the State Government. The outlay provided in the Seventh Plan for strengthening the Planning Machinery in the States and Union Territories both at the State and district levels amounts to a total of Rs. 8.16 crores.
Statistics 20.18 Two Standing Committees were constituted by the Planning Commission for reviewing the existing data base and suggesting improvements for (a) Planning and Policy Making, and (b) Decentralised Sectors. These Committees have been examining various data gaps and other aspects relating to the improvement of data base and making suggestions from time to time. During the Seventh Plan, there will arise the need to draw up a comprehensive plan of action for improving the data base in regard to these areas.
20.19 A notable recent development is the undertaking of economic censuses and follow-up surveys, starting from, 1977, to fill the gaps in data relating to the unorganised sectors of the economy. While the economic census provides basic details about all economic enterprises in the country, the follow-up surveys, carried out on a sample basis, help to collect detailed information about the structure of and investments, employment, etc., in these enterprises. These data have proved very valuable in getting dependable information for the unorganised sectors, which is required for the estimation of national accounts. As rapid changes generally take place in the structure of these sectors, it is necessary to repeat such economic censuses and follow-up sample surveys at regular intervals of say, five years, to capture these changes. One such programme will be conducted during the Seventh Plan.
20.20 Timely dissemination of data is the essence of the statistical system. However, due to various reasons, primarily related to inadequate data processing facilities, there is a significant time-lag in the release of the results of the Annual Survey of Industries and many socioeconomic surveys conducted by the National Sample Survey Organisation. Effective steps will be taken to augment the data-processing capabilities to overcome this shortcominges.
20.21 There is a recognised need for enabling civil servants of all categories to develop their competence in their respective specilisations through regular participation in training programmes and seminars. Emphasis will be laid on restructuring the existing training facilities for
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statisticians at various levels and strengthening the infrastructural facilities for trainees.
20.22 One of the deficiencies in official statistics, often cited, is the poor quality of data collected from the peripheral levels. A system has, therefore, to be evolved of using available organisations to check the reliability of data so collected by spot- checking, at least on a sample basis. Short-term on-the-job training of persons entrusted with the task of reporting economic and social statistics at the grassroot level will also be given due attention.
20.23 An allocation of Rs. 40.78 crores has been made under the sub-head 'Statistics' including Rs. 17.78 crores for the office of the Registrar General of India, besides, outlays have been provided for the development of statistics under the respective sectoral heads, for example, for agricultural statistics under 'Agriculture'.
Rehabilitation 20.24 Rehabilitation schemes cover outlays on the relief and rehabilitation of displaced persons from Pakistan (including those who migrated to India from former East Pakistan); Indian nationals repatriated from Burma, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Mozambique, Zaire and Vietnam; displaced persons from Chhamb Niabat areas in Jammu & Kashmir and other areas, and Tibetan refugees, besides providing assistance to displaced persons who had entered Rajasthan and Gujarat during and after Indo-Pak Conflict, 1971. The schemes are implemented directly by the Ministry of Home Affairs as well as through State Governments and Union Territory Administrations. The schemes are briefly described in the following paragraphs.
Migrants from former East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) 20.25 Old migrants: About 41.17 lakhs displaced persons from former East Pakistan migrated to India upto 31st March, 1958. Over 31 lakhs stayed on in West Bengal. Most of them have been given rehabilitation assistance. The on-going schemes for resettlement of old migrants in West Bengal relate to (a) acquisition of land in 175 post-1950 squatters' colonies, (b) housing loans to remaining 1336 ex- camp site families, and (c) resettlement of 476 families from Indian enclaves in former East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). The funds provided for implementation of these schemes during the Seventh Plan are Rs. 2 crores for acquisition of 1400 acres of land, Rs. 80 lakhs for resettlement of ex-camp site families, and Rs. 40 lakhs for resettlement of enclave migrant families, i.e., a total of Rs. 3.20 crores.
20.26 New migrants: The migrants from erstwhile East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) who came to India during the period from 1-1-1964 to 25-3-1971, numbering 11.14 lakhs, are termed as "new migrants". Some rehabilitation projects set up in the States of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have already been transferred to the respective State Governments.
20.27 During the Seventh Plan, however, about 350 families would become rehabilitable. Funds for providing rehabilitation assistance to these families would be required.
20.28 For transfer of six rehabilitation projects in Madhya Pradesh, where the rehabilitation work has either been completed or is about to be completed, it will be necessary to provide funds amounting to Rs. 2 crores in the Seventh Plan. In Karnataka a committed amount of Rs. 20 lakhs is required to be provided to the State Government. Funds are also required for reimbursement of outstanding claims of the State Government.