RD Ministry Reviews the Performance of Flagship Programs

Press Information Bureau Government of India ******* RD Ministry Reviews the Performance of Flagship Programs   New Delhi : October 8, 2009   The Second meeting of the Performance Review Committee of the Ministry Of Rural Development for the year 2009 got underway here today. Over the next two days, the Performance Review Committtee will take stock of the progress under the various schemes of the ministry. The performance under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, NREGA and Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) would be reviewed today while the National Social Assistance Program(NSOAP) and Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) would be taken up for review on Friday along with the training programs of the ministry. The issue of BPL list on the basis of BPL Census 2002 and the new BPL List is also on the agenda.   Under NREGA 3.04 crore households have been provided employment till August 2009 in the current financial year so far. Rajasthan leads the pack with 51.58 lakh households being provided jobs while Andhra Pradesh follows next with 49.15 lakh households being provided employment under the act. The agenda for discussions under NREGA include among others-   •          National Overview for FY 2009-10 of States on key physical and financial parameters   •          Detailed analysis of State wise performance in FY 2009-10 on following parameters:   •       unmet demand in FY 2009-10,   •          districts with declining performance,   •       works related: completion rate & wage-material ratio,   •          notified wages & average wages paid   •          wage disbursement through accounts   •          transparency & accountability   •          capacity building: Personnel Recruited & trainings   •          State cell   •          State fund   •          MIS Operationalization as on FY 2009-10   •          Social Audit   •          Ombudsman   •          Status of complaints   This is the second meeting of the Performance Review Committee of the Ministry  this year. Earlier meeting took place on June 11-12 this year wherein it emerged out that the  broad areas where improvements can be achieved are (i) job card issuing process, (ii) expansion of the basket of works, (iii) wage payment mechanism, (iv) vigilance and social audit, (v) convergence and (vi) special attention to North eastern States.   AKT/SAK/spandey     Press Information Bureau Government of India ******* Armed Forces continue relief & rescue in flood-hit Karnataka and Andhra   New Delhi : October 8, 2009   Armed Forces continue making all out efforts to rescue and provide relief to the flood affected people in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Over 3600 people have been rescued by the Armed Forces in the two flood-ravaged States so far.   Two Army columns each continue flood relief operations in Kurnool and Vijayawada districts of Andhra Pradesh, besides one column has been deployed in Guntur district. As life returns to normalcy in Karnataka, the Army yesterday withdrew its last column of men, deployed in Karwar district.   The Navy has also withdrawn three teams of its divers from Kurnool district in Karnataka. But two diving teams continue relief and rescue operations in Uttar Kannada and Karwar districts. In Andhra Pradesh, five Naval teams remain deployed in Vijayawada district for relief operations. The Naval teams have rescued 1740 persons and distributed 2000 food and 1000 water packets so far.   The Indian Air Force has so far deployed thirty two aircraft and helicopters, carrying out 340 sorties. IAF has delivered over 206 tonnes of rescue equipment and relief materials besides airlifting around 1100 people including doctors, paramedics, rescue teams and flood affected victims who were rescued.   HH/RAJ  /spandey Press Information Bureau Government of India ******* Performance of Tourism sector during September 2009   New Delhi : October 8, 2009   Ministry of Tourism compiles monthly estimates of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) and Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEE) from tourism on the basis of data received from major airports. Following are the important highlights, as regards these two important indicators of tourism sector.   Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs):   • FTAs during the Month of September 2009 were 3.17 lakh as compared to FTAs of 3.31 lakh during the month of September 2008 and 3.02 lakh in September 2007.   • There has been a decline of 4.1% in FTAs in September 2009 over September 2008. However, there is an improvement over the growth rate of (-)8.6% observed in August 2009 vis-à-vis August 2008.   • FTAs during January - September 2009 at 35.75 lakh were lower as compared to 38.71 lakh in January - September 2008.   • The growth rate in FTAs during Jan-Sept 2009 (-7.7%) marginally improved as compared to growth rate during Jan-Aug (-8.0%). •   Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEE) from Tourism in Indian Rupee terms and US $ terms   • FEE during the month of September 2009 were Rs. 3798 crore as compared to Rs.3143 crore in September 2008.   • FEE during January – September 2009 were Rs.37589 crore as compared to Rs. 36464 crore in January – September 2008.   • FEE in US $ terms during the month of September 2009 were US $ 785 million as compared to US $ 689 million in September 2008.   • FEE during January - September 2009 were US$ 7671 million as compared to US$ 8823 million during January - September 2008.   • The growth rate (-13.1%) in FEE in US$ terms during January-September 2009 also improved over the growth rate during January-August 2009 (-15.3%).   AD/DB/spandey PIB Kolkata