The Hindu : National : Inter-Ministerial task groups set up

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Friday, Aug 06, 2004

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National

Inter-Ministerial task groups set up

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, AUG. 5. The Planning Commission has got down to the task of implementation of the programmes and policies set out in the Common Minimum Programme (CMP), with the setting up of seven inter-Ministerial task groups to decide on the action needed for those areas where the agenda is cross-sectoral, requiring action from various Ministries. The Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, had ordered the creation of such task groups.

Consequently, one is a group on redressing growing regional imbalances, another on investment, credit and technical support to promote self-employment in agriculture, horticulture, afforestation, dairying and agro-processing and a third on working out a comprehensive medium-term strategy for food and nutritional security. There will be another task group on technological, investment and marketing support and one to work for the development of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Two other task groups relate to water, with one working on the integration of ongoing schemes to address water conservation as a Water Mission and another on efficient utilisation of water resources.

To report in 3 months

All the groups are expected to submit their reports in three months. The group on redressing growing regional imbalances will give its specific recommendations for addressing this problem among and within States inter alia through investment, fiscal and administrative means. The group will also give suggestions for correcting distortions in Plan allocations and Central assistance and consider the creation of a Backward States Grant Fund to create productive assets in these States. While all non-statutory resource transfers from the Centre are to be weighted in favour of poor and backward States, the group will also look into the performance parameters for determining the quantum of funds for each State.

It will also look into the requirements of special programmes to be taken up for social and physical development in the poorest and most backward States on a priority basis. Mineral royalties to States will also come up for a review by the group.

While the task of some of the other groups is obvious, the group working for the development of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes will suggest measures to realise the objective of economic growth and environmental conservation in tribal areas, look for a comprehensive national programme for minor irrigation of all lands owned by Dalits and Adivasis and work out more viable livelihood strategies for the Scheduled Tribes.

National Water Mission

The group for integration of ongoing schemes to address water conservation will address the integration of selected schemes with multiple Ministries for water conservation through a National Water Mission.

It will also attempt to combine employment programmes with water conservation as the focus so as to make the investment productive as well as to use the Mission format to enlist community action.

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