The innovative scheme for housing and habitat development has been designed for standardizing and popularizing/ replicating/propagating cost-effective, environment-friendly housing construction technologies, designs and materials and evolving ideal types of sustainable rural human settlements consistent with agro-climatic variations and natural disaster proneness. The Rural Building Centres Scheme is inter alia designed with the purpose of technology transfer and information dissemination, skill up gradation through training and production of cost effective and environment friendly material components.

Panchayati Raj Institutions are one of the Implementing Agencies under these schemes.

The Annapurna Scheme aims at providing food security to meet the requirement of those senior citizens who though eligible have remained uncovered under the National Old Age Pension Scheme.

The role of PRIs in implementation of this scheme are :-

• The Panchayats identifies the Beneficiaries and communicate the same to Collector/CEO.

• The Gram Sabhas are required to select the Beneficiaries for the Scheme and the lists of beneficiaries so selected by Gram Sabha will be displayed by the Gram Panchayats.

• The Gram Panchayats distribute the Entitlement Cards to the Beneficiaries in Gram Sabha Meetings.

• The Gram Panchayats will give wide publicity to the Scheme and will also be responsible for dissemination of information in regard to the procedure for securing benefits under the Scheme.

The Drought Prone Areas Programme (DPAP), Desert Development Programme (DDP) and Integrated Wasteland Development Programme (IWDP) are being implemented on watershed basis and aim at drought proofing and controlling desertification by regeneration of depleted natural resource base. All these three programmes were brought under the Guidelines for Watershed Development with effect from 1.4.1995.

The role of PRIs in implementation of this scheme are :-

• The District Panchayats and other Panchayati Raj Institutions shall have very important role to play in Watershed Development Programmes.

• The PRIs shall have the right to monitor and review the implementation of the programme and provide guidance for improvements in the administrative arrangements and procedures with a view to ensure convergence of other programmes of Ministry of Rural Development such as SGRY, SGSY, IAY, CRSP, Rural Drinking Water Supply, etc.

• At the Village level, the Gram Panchayat shall be fully involved in the implementation of the programme, specially community organization, formation of SHGs and training programmes.

• Gram Panchayat will be responsible for operation and maintenance of assets created during the project.

• The Watershed Action Plan should have the approval of Gram Sabha and it should be a part of annual action plan of Gram Sabha.

• The District Panchayat/DRDA in whose favour the project has been sanctioned will be entitled to affect recovery of funds from any institutions/ organization/ individuals and take appropriate action under law if the project is not properly implemented for funds are misutilised or not spent as per Guidelines.

• The Panchayats at any level are also entitled to take on the responsibility of implementing a cluster of watershed projects in the capacity of Project Implementation Agencies(PIAs), if they so desire.

• PIAs will motivate the Gram Panchayats to pass necessary resolutions to make public contribution, conduct Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) exercises, prepare the development plans for the watershed, undertake community organization and training for the village communities, provide technical guidance and supervision of watershed Development activities, inspect and authenticate project accounts, undertake action research to adapt low-cost technologies and /or validate and build upon indigenous technical knowledge, monitor and review the overall project maintenance and further development of the assets created during the project period.

• Under the new initiate 'Haryali', the watershed programmes are to be executed by the Gram Panchayats by facilitating project funds to them. The District and Intermediate Panchayars are to act as PIAs

Under these Schemes funds are released to Revenue Department of the States/UTs for implementation in various districts of the State and not to Panchayati Raj Institutions of State Governments.

The Panchayati Raj Institutions are not being involved in the implementation of these two Schemes.

Under ARWSP, the Central Government is to supplement the efforts of the State Governments in providing access to safe drinking water to all rural habitations of the country.

The role of PRIs in implementation of this scheme are :

• Panchayati Raj Institutions should be involved in the implementation of schemes particularly in selecting the location of standpost, spot sources, operation and maintenance, fixing of cess/water tariff, etc.

• The implementation of the Sector Reform Projects in the identified pilot districts, are also to be carried out either by the District Panchayats or through the District Water and Sanitation Missions (DWSM), which are to be registered societies under the supervision, control and guidance of District Panchayat.

• Wherever PRIs are themselves firmly in place and willing to take up the responsibility and are strong enough to do so, they implement the projects themselves instead of DWSM.

• At the village level, the individual Rural Water Supply Schemes are to be implemented through Village Water and Sanitation Committees which should be committees of Gram Panchayats.

• Drinking water supply assets are transferred to the appropriate level of Panchayats and such Panchayats are to be empowered to undertake operation and maintenance of drinking water systems.

This programme aims at improving the general quality of life in rural areas; accelerating coverage in rural areas; generating demand through awareness creation and health education; and controlling incidence of water sanitation related diseases.

The role of PRIs in implementation if this scheme are :-

• Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) is a community based programme where Panchayati Raj Institutions are in the forefront.

• As per TSC Guidelines, the implementation at the district level is to be done by the District Panchayats. Panchayats at block and village level are to be fully involved for implementation of the programme.

• Where District Panchayat is not in a position to implement the programme, it is being implemented by District Water & Sanitation Mission which is chaired by Chairperson of District Panchayat and the Village Committees are chaired by the Chairpersons of Gram Panchayats. In the later case, the Village Water & Sanitation Mission are part of the Gram Panchayat.

This programme aims at providing Community-based Rural Drinking Water Supply. The key elements of this programmes are namely, (i) demand-driven and community participation approach, (ii) panchayats / communities to plan, implement, operate, maintain and manage all drinking water schemes, (iii) partial capital cost sharing by the communities upfront in cash, (iv) full ownership of drinking water assets with Gram Panchayats and (v) full Operation and Maintenance by the users/ Panchayats.

The role of PRIs in implementation of this scheme are :-

• Gram Panchayat shall convene a Gram Sabha Meeting where the Drinking Water Supply Scheme of People's choice including design and cost etc. must be finalized. Gram Panchayats are to undertake procurement of materials/services for execution of schemes and supervise the scheme execution.

• A resolution must be passed in the Gram Panchayat meeting calling for users/beneficiaries to contribute 10% of the capital expenditure. However, GP can remit towards community contribution from its tax revenue (Not from Government Grants) with the approval of Gram Sabha.

• Gram Panchayat will decide whether the Panchayat wants to execute Scheme on its own or wants the State Government Agency to undertake the execution.

• After completion of such schemes, the Gram Panchayat will take over the Schemes for Operation & Maintenance(O&M).

• Panchayat must decide on the user charges from the community so that adequate funds available with Panchayat to undertake O&M.

Information, Education and Communication plays a pivotal role in creating awareness, mobilizing people and making development participatory through advocacy and by transferring knowledge, skills and techniques to the people. The IEC efforts aim at creating awareness and disseminating information on the Rural Development Programmes of this Ministry primarily to the target groups in rural, to the opinion makers and also to the public at large.

The Panchayati Raj Institutions are not being involved in the implementation of the Schemes under IEC Division.

The Ministry of Rural Development provides funds to National Institute of Rural Development, State Institutes of Rural Development and Extension Training Centres for providing training to the elected representatives of Panchayats as well as Rural Development functionaries. Funds are also being released under this scheme for holding training courses, seminars, workshops etc on subjects relevant to rural development.

The Panchayati Raj Institutions are not being involved in the implementation of the Schemes under Training Division.

PR Division has been releasing funds to NGOs/Institutions for Action Research Studies and Workshops/Seminar on Panchayati Raj.

The Panchayati Raj Institutions are not being involved in the implementation of the Schemes under Training Division.