Fast Track Spl Courts to continue for 3 years
*Govt clears ToR for 16th FC
NEW DELHI, Nov 29: With general elections scheduled for April-May next year, the Government today extended the PMGKAY scheme to provide 5 kilogrammes of free foodgrains per month to 81.35 crore poor for another five years that would cost the exchequer about Rs 11.80 lakh crore.
A decision in this regard was taken in the meeting of the Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday.
Giving details today, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said, “The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) has been extended for another five years from January 1, 2024.”
The Minister said the expenditure on scheme will be around Rs 11.8 lakh crore over the next five years.
The scheme was last extended till December 31, 2023.
“Keeping in view welfare of the beneficiaries and in order to strengthen the food security in terms of accessibility, affordability and availability of foodgrains for the targeted population, and to maintain uniformity across the States, the decision has been taken to continue providing foodgrains, free of cost, under PMGKAY for five years,” an official release said.
PMGKAY was introduced in 2020 as a pandemic relief measure, under which 5 kg of free foodgrains per beneficiary per month was provided in addition to the 5 kg of subsidised foodgrain under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
In December 2022, as PMGKAY came to an end after multiple extensions, it was subsumed under the NFSA providing ration free for one year.
Under the NFSA, up to 75 per cent of the rural population and 50 per cent of the urban population are being covered under two categories — Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and priority households.
While AAY households, which constitute the poorest of the poor, are entitled to 35 kg of foodgrains per family per month, priority households get 5 kg per person per month.
The Union Cabinet also gave its nod for continuing fast track special courts for another three years for delivering swift justice in cases involving sexual offences.
After the passage of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act in 2018 in the aftermath of the Nirbhaya gangrape case in Delhi, the Centre had decided to set up 1,023 fast-track special courts, including 389 to deal exclusively with cases related to violations of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, in 31 States and Union Territories.
On Tuesday, the Cabinet gave its nod to extend the scheme by three more years, with financial implication of Rs 1952.23 crore.
While the Central share will be Rs 1207.24 crore, the States will contribute Rs 744.99 crore. The Central share is to be funded from Nirbhaya Fund.
“Thirty States and Union Territories have participated in the scheme, operationalising 761 fast-track special courts, including 414 exclusive POCSO courts, which have resolved over 1,95,000 cases,” the statement said.
Each Fast-Track Special Court was conceived to try between 65 and 165 cases per annum. The annual expenditure to run one such court was pegged at Rs 75 lakh with one judicial officer and seven support staff, officials noted.
The Union Cabinet has also approved the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan, which focuses on 11 critical interventions for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups, Minister Anurag Thakur said today.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the scheme on Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas in Jharkhand’s Khunti. The scheme — which aims to, among others, provide pucca houses, piped water supply and roads — got the Cabinet nod late on Tuesday.
The total outlay for the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) has been pegged at Rs 24,104 crore, of which the Central share will be Rs 15,336 crore and the states will contribute Rs 8,768 crore.
“Over 28,16,000 (28.16 lakh) tribal people from 220 districts in 18 States and one Union Territory will benefit from this scheme. Those tribals who have not yet benefited from Government of India schemes so far will be the beneficiaries under this scheme,” Thakur said.
The beneficiaries have been identified from among 75 tribal communities with a scattered habitation.
“Under the scheme, 11 main interventions have been identified on the basis of which benefits will be given to them. These include housing, all-weather roads, clean drinking water, electricity, mobile dispensaries and mobile towers…,” Thakur said.
He added that assured livelihood opportunities will also be provided.
Meanwhile, the Union Cabinet has approved a Central scheme to provide drones to 15,000 progressive women Self Help Groups (SHGs) with an outlay of Rs 1,261 crore for two years beginning 2024-25.
“The scheme aims to provide drones to 15,000 select women SHGs during the period 2024-25 to 2025-2026 for providing rental services to farmers for agriculture purpose,” Thakur said.
The women SHGs will be identified from the total 89 lakh SHGs formed under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana, he said.
In various States, appropriate clusters where usage of drones is economically feasible will be identified and progressive 15,000 women SHGs will be selected for providing drones, the Government said in a release.
A central financial assistance at 80 per cent of the cost of drone and accessories/ancillary charges of up to Rs 8,00,000 will be provided to women SHGs for purchase of drones.
The Cluster Level Federation (CLFs) of SHGs may raise the balance amount (total cost of procurement minus subsidy) as loan under the National Agriculture Infra Financing Facility (AIF). Interest subvention of 3 per cent on the AIF loan will be provided.
“Around 500 drones will be provided by fertiliser companies. The rest 14,500 drones will be made available through the central assistance in the next two years,” Thakur said.
The Government has also cleared the Terms of Reference (ToR) of the 16th Finance Commission to suggest the ratio for devolution of taxes between the Centre and States and also review financing disaster management initiatives, for five years beginning April 1, 2026.
The Commission would submit its report for the five-year period (2026-27 to 2030-31) to the President by October 31, 2025, an official statement said.
Besides tax devolution and States’ revenue augmentation measures, the commission would review the present arrangements for financing disaster management initiatives with reference to the funds constituted under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
“The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the Terms of Reference for the Sixteenth Finance Commission. The 16th Finance Commission’s recommendations, upon acceptance by the Government, would cover a period of five years commencing April 1, 2026,” the statement said.
The Cabinet meeting was held yesterday.
Names of the chairperson and members of 16th Finance Commission would be finalised soon, an official said.
The Terms of Reference (ToR) for 16th Finance Commission will be notified in due course.
The Commission shall make recommendations in matters including the distribution between the Union and States of net proceeds of taxes which are to be, or may be, divided between them and the allocation between States of the respective shares of such proceeds.
The Commission would advise on the principles which should govern the grants-in-aid of revenues of states out of Consolidated Fund of India and the sums to be paid to states by way of grants-in-aid of their revenues. (PTI)
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