1.1.2 Selection of Villages
Since many Village Panchayats have very low incomes and are finding it difficult to provide the statutory services or improve infrastructure, this scheme accords priority to the poorest Village Panchayats in terms of per capita income. One fifth of the Village Panchayats in each Block are taken up in each year in the ascending order of per capita income so as to cover all the Village Panchayats in the State over a period of five years. The villages covered under the old Anna Marumalarchi Thittam, which was in vogue during 1997-2002, will be taken up in the fifth year (2010-11).
Under the scheme, the Government had allocated Rs. 513.08 crores for 2,540 Village Panchayats during 2006-07 and Rs.511.87 crores for 2,534 Village Panchayats during 2007-08 at the rate of Rs. 20 lakhs per Village Panchayat. During 2008-09, the scheme was taken up in 2,520 villages at an outlay of Rs. 509.04 crores.In the year 2009-10 the scheme was taken up in 2510 Village Panchayats at an outlay of Rs. 507.02 crores. For the year 2010-11, the scheme will be implemented in 2,514 Village Panchayats at an outlay of Rs.507.828 crores.
1.1.3 Salient features
The Centrally sponsored schemes usually have tight guidelines and do not offer the flexibility to take up works that may be locally desirable nor do they provide funds enabling Village Panchayats to carry out their statutory functions under the Tamil Nadu Panchayats Act, 1994. The Anaithu Grama Anna Marumalarchi Thittam endeavours to plug both these gaps in the Centrally sponsored schemes by providing untied funds of Rs.5 lakhs (out of Rs.20 lakhs allocation per Village Panchayat), with the remaining funds to be spent on stipulated items. Further, funds from other schemes of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj department and other departments such as Highways, Public Works, Social Welfare, Health, Education, Agriculture Engineering, and TWAD among others is also dovetailed as far as possible into the Village Panchayats taken up under Anaithu Grama Anna Marumalarchi Thittam. The Government’s intention is to ensure the convergence of at least Rs. 1 crore of funds under various Governmental schemes to each AGAMT Village Panchayat. Updated guidelines for implementation of the scheme for 2008 - 09 have been issued in G.O.(Ms) No. 88 RD&PR (SGS.1) Dept. dt. 05.06.2008.
1.1.4 Components/works under the scheme
The works under the scheme are broadly
classified into
two categories:
a)
Compulsory
works
b)
Optional
works
Following
are the compulsory works:
i) One Pond / Oorani / Tank per village: At least one Pond/Oorani is to be constructed at a cost of Rs.3-5 lakhs in each AGAMT village and it should have Bathing ghat, Baby pond, Retaining wall etc. In case of a Pond or Oorani being unavailable in the village, Temple tank or Minor Irrigation tank can be taken up for desilting in the village. Desilting the pond for a minimum depth of 2 metre from the existing level and the baby pond for further depth of 1 metre has been stipulated
ii) Sports Centers: A School Sports Centre at an outlay of up to Rs.1.5 lakhs or Community Sports Centre at an outlay of up to Rs.1 lakh is to be put up in each AGAMT village. The Village Panchayats have been permitted to incur an expenditure of up to Rs.10,000 per year for replacement of sports consumables in AGAMT Sports Centres
iii) Burial ground / Cremation Ground: Burial ground in each AGAMT village will be improved with approach road, Compound wall, Cremation shed, Water facility and Lighting
iv)Libraries: A library will be opened in each AGAMT village. A new building may be constructed or an existing building may be modified suitably and books worth at least Rs.50,000 are to be bought and furniture worth Rs.50,000 procured for the library. An Honorary Librarian is to be appointed for each AGAMT library.
v)Water supply:For this component under the tied component, a minimum of Rs.1 lakh should be provided and based on needs, additional allocation can also be made.
Following are the Optional works:
i)Village Shandy: Village shandies are to be improved wherever available.
ii)Cement Concrete
roads:can be taken up for an amount not exceeding Rs.3 lakhs of tied funds.
iii)Inland Fishery: Fish ponds are to be taken up wherever feasible and preference given to the Self Help Groups for getting fishery rights.
iv)Extension
of streetlights and installation of Sodium Vapour lamps / Compact Fluorescent Lamps(CFLs) / Fluorescent Tubelights.
An amount of 1% of the total allocation is to be used for IEC activities.
1.1.5
Selection of works
Selection of works to be taken up under AGAMT is done by a committee consisting of the Block Development Officer (Village Panchayats), Assistant Engineer (RD)/ Block Engineer, the Panchayat President concerned and Village Administrative Officer. The works should be got approved by the Grama Sabha.
1.1.6
Execution of the works
BDO (Village Panchayats) is designated as the tender inviting authority for all works other than the purchase of sports materials, library books and library furniture. The Project Officer, DRDA is the tender inviting authority for the purchase of Sports materials and furniture for AGAMT libraries. The Government has, vide GO (Ms) No. 186 RD & PR SGS(2) Department, dated 16.11.07, stipulated that the works for which tenders are not received for three consecutive calls or where the quoted rates are exorbitant or where the works are left midway by the contractor, can be entrusted to the Village Panchayats for execution departmentally in case the value of the work is below Rs 5 lakh , and through tendering in case the value of the work is above Rs 5 Lakh each.
1.1.7
Progress under the scheme
The ollowing table gives the progress under the scheme in the year 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09 , 2009-10 and 2010 -11.
Table 1.1.1
Physical & Financial Allocation under Anaithu Grama Anna Marumalachi Thittam (AGAMT)
Details |
2006-07 |
2007-08 |
2008-09 |
2009-10 |
2010-11 |
Total |
No. of Village Panchayats |
2,540 |
2,534 |
2,520 |
2,510 |
2,514 |
12,618 |
Financial Allocation
(Rs. In crores) |
513.08 |
511.87 |
509.04 |
507.02 |
507.83 |
2548.84 |
Physical Allocation -
Category of works taken up |
C.C. Roads |
9,972 |
8,158 |
5,519 |
4,238 |
3,814 |
31,701 |
W.H. Structures (Pond) |
2,599 |
2,546 |
2,520 |
2,510 |
2,514 |
12,689 |
Inland Fishery |
1,031 |
1,097 |
908 |
666 |
497 |
4,199 |
Burial Ground |
4,482 |
3,850 |
3,531 |
3,531 |
3,326 |
18,720 |
Water Supply Works |
8,576 |
7,265 |
5,693 |
4,820 |
4,505 |
30,859 |
Village Shandies |
122 |
46 |
32 |
14 |
11 |
225 |
Sports Centres |
2,540 |
2,534 |
2,520 |
2,510 |
2,514 |
12,618 |
Libraries |
2,540 |
2,534 |
2,520 |
2,510 |
2,466 |
12,570 |
Street Lights |
33,186 |
29,316 |
24,432 |
20,657 |
19,952 |
1,27,543 |
Other Works |
7,691 |
6,712 |
4,713 |
4,381 |
4,905 |
28,402 |
Total |
72,739 |
64,058 |
52,388 |
45,837 |
44,504 |
2,79,526 |
|