No. R-20017/7/98-IRD-I

Governmentof India

MINISTRY OF RURAL AREAS & EMPLOYMENT

[Department of Rural Employment and Poverty Alleviation]

KrishiBhavan, New Delhi

Dated the 13thOct., 1998.

To

The Project Directors

 All theD.R.D.As.

subject: Involvement of elected representatives MPs/MLAs inPlanning Implementation and     Monitoring of the Rural     DevelopmentProgrammes.

Sir,

I am directed to refer to this Ministry's letter No.R-14018/9/93-IRD-I(Pt.File), dated 9th Sept., 1998on the subject noted above forwarding therewith the guidelines issuedon the subject on 26thAugust, 1998.

As you may be aware Hon'ble Members of Parliamentand Members of Legislative Assemblies are the membersof theGoverning Bodies of DRDAs. As per the existing guidelines, Members ofParliament belongingto the Lok Sabha will haveto be co-opted as a members ofthe GoverningBody of more than oneDRDA if his constituency spans overmore thanone district. Guidelines have already been issued toall the State/UT Govts. regarding convening the Governing Body meeting bythe DRDAs.

In spite of the above guidelines, a number of MPs havebeen writing to the ministry that either the Governing Body meeting ofDRDAs are notbeing held regularly or they are not being informed aboutsuch meetingswell in advance.In view of this, you are requested totake the following action immediately:-

(a)         DRDA Governing Body meeting should beconducted regularly and dates fixed as far as possible when Parliamentwould not bein session.

(b)        It may be ensured that theMPs are invited toattend such meetingsby giving sufficient advance notice.

 

(c)        In the case of Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) whose constituency spans over more than oneDRDA and is member of GoverningBody of more than oneDRDA, the Governing Body meetings of both theDRDAs should be fixed in such a manner that the Member of Parliament could attend both the meetings, without any inconvenience.

As the Ministry attaches utmost importance to the close involvement of elected representatives includingMPs in the implementation of poverty alleviation programme, you are requested to adhere to the above guidelines.

 

Yours faithfully,

Sd/-

(A.K. JHA)

Joint Director (IRD-III)