NEW DELHI: Ahead of the Assembly elections in some key States, including Uttar Pradesh, the Union Cabinet on Thursday decided to restructure the 20-point programme for the poor and disadvantaged sections to make it more focussed and effective. The revamped programme would be launched on April 1 next.

Union Minister and Cabinet spokesperson Priyaranjan Dasmunsi said it was also decided to bring back Garibi hatao (eradicate poverty) on the Government's agenda as the term Garibi unmoolan (alleviate poverty) used so far was not adequate.

The new programme would have a four-tier monitoring mechanism — at the Central, State, district and block levels — and a provision for frequent evaluation and impact assessment so that it was implemented more effectively. While retaining all elements of the programme, the number of items covered was reduced from 119 to 64.

The programme, Mr. Dasmunsi said, was revamped considering that over the years several policies and programmes had been brought within its ambit and also to ensure that it was in consonance with the priorities of the National Common Minimum Programme of the UPA Government, the United Nations Millennium Development Goals and the SAARC Social Charter.

The new programme would also focus on IT-enabled e-governance, environment protection and afforestation, social security, health, housing and education for all, clean drinking water, energisation of rural areas, slum improvement, and women, child, youth and labour welfare.

It would have a special emphasis on the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes and minorities.

It was revamped on the basis of a report submitted by a Group of Ministers, headed by Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee and with 14 Cabinet Ministers and Ministers of State with independent charge as members. The Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission was a special invitee.

Replying to a query, Mr. Dasmunsi denied that the 20-point programme was being revamped as efforts to eradicate poverty had failed. "The incidence has come down significantly all over the country, despite the increase in the population. The results could have been much better had population management been more effective. The resources could then have been used more effectively."

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