To ensure the long overdue development of the extremist-infested districts across eight states,the Planning Commission will shortly unfurl an Integrated Action Plan (IAP) to expedite development in these parts. We are asking the states to focus more on these areas as their active participation is imperative for effective implementation of development schemes. We are keen to have a real-time feedback on the status of expenditure of the Centre-funded programmes. We found that certain programmes were doing well while more efforts were needed in others, newly-appointed Planning Commission Member Secretary Sudha Pillai said. The move comes close on the heels of the advisors who have toured the states and furnished their inputs to the Plan panel on the existing status of the Central schemes being executed by the state governments,which indicate that more efforts were needed for their better implementation. We are commissioning a study in all districts hit by Left Wing Extremism (LWE) to ascertain the outcome of expenditure of the money earmarked for development purposes. We had meeting with the state government officials to ascertain the progress in the expenditure in the LWE districts and we intend to intensify the monitoring process further, Pillai said. Under the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) Chhattisgarh has spent 43.80 per cent of funds against 87.14 per cent by Jharkhand and 51.50 per cent by Orissa. While Madhya Pradesh has spent 38.81 per cent,Andhra Pradesh has spent 66.86 per cent under the RGGVY. Under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY),Bihar has managed 26.53 per cent funds,while Maharashtra has spent 40.23 per cent,Andhra Pradesh 43.21 per cent,and Orissa 47.40 per cent,indicating that performance across the states have been uneven and that is why theres a case for intensifying the monitoring mechanism. The progress of the LWE districts is being done by the state-run National Informatics Centre. The Centrally funded residential scheme for tribals,Ashram schools,is also not doing well. UPs Sonebhadra district has registered the poorest performance,as in its nearly 200 schools there is not a single teacher. Andhra Pradesh and Bihar too have recorded pitiable outcome under the scheme. We are appalled at this and plan to initiate steps to contain the situation, the Member Secretary said. In a new development,West Midnapore district of West Bengal has been included in the list of the LWE-hit districts,she said and pointed out that after the assorted views are put together,the IAP will be discussed and released.
