Samagra Awaas Yojana

Introduction

As the name siggests. Samagra Awaas Yojana is a comprehensive housing scheme launched recently with a view to ensuring integrated provision of shelter, sanitation and drinking water. The underlying philosophy of Samagra Awaas Yojana is to provide convergence to the existing rural housing sanitation and water supply schemes with special emphasis on technology transfer, human resource development and habitat improvement with peoples’ participation.

Objective

The basic objective of the Samagra Awaas Yojana is to improve the quality of life of the people as well as overall habitat in the Rural Areas. The scheme specifically aims at providing convergence to various rural development activities till now separately undertaken such as construction of houses, sanitation facilities and drinking water schemes and ensure their effective implementation by suitable and sustainable induction of technology , IEC and innovative ideas.

Target Group

The Scheme in due course is proposed to be implemented in rural areas all over the country. However, in the first phase, the scheme is to be implemented in one block each of 25 districts in 2"2" States and one Union Territory. These blocks and districts will be selected in consultation with the State Governments out of the 58 districts earmarked for institutionalising community participation in rural water supply and sanitation. Intended beneficiaries under the scheme are the rural poor, preferable those below the poverty line.

Salient Features

• At present several rural housing schemes are being implemented in the country. These include Indira Awaas Yojana, Credit-cum-Subsidy Scheme, Innovative Stream for Rural Housing and Habitat Development, Scheme for setting up of Rural Building Centres, Loans-based Rural Housing Schemes of HUDCO, Golden Jubilee Rural Housing Scheme of National Housing Bank and State’s sponsored Rural Housing Schemes. As a first step, it is proposed to strengthen these schemes in these blocks and wherever possible in consultation with the State Governments and district administrations, higher allocation for these schemes will be provided.
• For encouraging cost effective and environmental friendly building materials, technologies designs etc., it is proposed to set up one Rural Building Centre in each of the selected blocks. These Building Centres besides propagating the cost effective technologies, materials, designs etc. will also function as production centres for cost effective building materials and provide training for rural artisans engaged by the construction sector.
• Rural Building Centres and Innovative projects are proposed to be taken up under the existing scheme of Rural Building Centres and Innovative Stream of Rural Housing and Habitat Development.
• With a view to improving the housing stock and availability of housing finance, Credit-cum-Subsidy Scheme of the Ministry of Rural Development, Golden Jubilee Rural Housing Scheme of National Housing Bank, Rural Housing Schemes of HUDCO and State Rural Housing Schemes will be implemented on priority basis with regular monitoring.
• Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission has already selected these districts for accelerated provision of water supply and sanitation facilities with the peoples’ participation. Special allocation under the Drinking Water and Sanitation Schemes kept for these districts will be utilised for adequate and sustainable provision of drinking water and sanitation.
• Under Indira Awaas Yojana a provision for sanitary latrine and common facilities exists. It is proposed to make special efforts through induction of additional funds for IEC to motivate and educate the beneficiaries to construct the sanitary latrines and also properly use them.
• Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission has proposed to set up sanitary marts in these districts and this will give added impetus towards the convergence of drinking water and sanitation schemes with the housing programmes. It is proposed to provide Rs. 5 lakh each of the selected district for IEC from the normal funds of the Ministry of Rural Development.
• Funds available under Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojana and EAS will be dovetailed to ensure development of roads, drainage etc. in an accelerated manner.
• For environmental improvement it is proposed to tap the existing resources of Departments of Forest and Horticulture of the State Governments for afforestation and popularisation of kitchen gardens.
• It is proposed to specially encourage the use of bio-gas and solar energy in these selected blocks with the existing Schemes of Department of Non-Conventional Energy Resources.
• Special training programmes for the skill upgradation for sector professionals through the organisation like NIRD, HUDCO etc. are proposed to be organised.
• In addition to the financial resources available under various schemes, it is proposed to provide further Central Assistance of Rs. 20 lakhs for each block for undertaking overall habitat development. These funds will be utilised through people’s participation with a 10 percent contribution for the people. The works to be taken up for habitat development will be identified by the Gram Sabha.

Implementing Agency

The different components of the scheme components of the scheme will be implemented by different line departments namely, DRDA, Housing Public Health, Agriculture, Forest etc. In view of this it would be necessary that the scheme is supervised coordinated and monitored by the District Collector. The special IEC funds of Rs. 5 lakh per district and habitat development funds of Rs. 20 lakh will be routed through DRDAs. DRDAs/ZPs and Public Health Department will be the main implementing agencies. The Zilla Parishad, the Block Samiti and the Gram Panchayat will be fully involved in the implementation of this Scheme.

Funding Pattern

The existing schemes of housing, drinking water, sanitation etc. will follow the normal funding pattern. However, special assistance of Rs.25 lakhs(Rs. 5 lakhs for IEC and Rs.20 lakhs for Habitat Development) will be fully provided by the Central Government. Contribution from the State Government or any other agency would be desirable. In addition to this the contribution received in cash and kind from the people will be of great importance for long term sustainability and public involvement.

Monitoring and Evaluation

The Scheme will be monitored by the Ministry of Rural Development through State Governments/district authorities. After the implementation of the first phase of the Scheme an evaluation will be done to study the impact of various works taken up under the Scheme for habitat development.