DRDA schemes to be implemented through ZP

Aurangabad, Nov 16:

Various government schemes including Prime Minister Awas Yojana, Ramai and Shabri Gharkul Yojana will be implemented in the district through Zilla Parishad (ZP) from April 1, 2022 as the Central Government decided to abolish District Rural Development Agency Project (DRDA).

The DRDA office was opened in every district of the State in 1982. The post of project director of the Agency Office in the district along with other posts will be handed over to ZP from April 2022.

The office of the project director, DRDA has been functioning for each district for the past 39 years to implement different schemes of the Central Government at the village level. Project director Sangeeta Patil is an officer of the additional Chief Executive Officer level.

The agency works under ZP CEO. The DRDA takes Central and State Governments’ projects like PM Awas, Ramai Gharkul, Shabri Gharkul schemes, Pt Deendayal Upadhyaya Scheme, regularisation of encroachments in rural areas, schemes for self-help groups to people in rural areas.

The Central Government bears 60 per cent of the salaries of the officers and employees of this office and the state government shares 40 per cent. The central government decided not to share of salary of the agency employees from the new financial year in 2022.

Most of the officers and employees working in the DRDA of the State are deputed from ZP. Senior officers said that after March 31, the employees would be sent to their original department.

Sanjay Kumar (secretary, Rural Development, Central Government) sent a letter to all the state governments in this regard. All schemes implemented through DRDA will be handed over to the ZP on April 1 2022. The CEO can decide whether to terminate or continue the service of employees who were working on a contract basis in the agency.