| The basic objective of Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF)
is to create / develop rural infrastructure like roads, bridges,
irrigation facilities, drainage systems, power and various other
infrastructure in social sector like primary schools, SSKs,
Anganwadi centers etc., out of loan assistance from NABARD.
Normally, 90% of the project cost is sanctioned as loan to the State
Government by NABARD and the remaining 10% is borne by the State
Government. The programme was introduced in the year 1995 and is
being implemented by the Finance Department as the Nodal Department.
For each year, there is a separate tranche for RIDF e.g. it was RIDF
VII for the financial year 2001-02 and for the current financial
year 2002-03 it is RIDF VIII. Panchayats and Rural Development
Department has been declared as administrative department for RIDF
schemes some time during the continuance of RIDF V (1999-2000)
though Finance Department continued to be the Nodal Department. The
guidelines for RIDF were revised by the Finance Department on 29th May, 2002 and as per revised guidelines, the concerned line
department as well as Zilla Parishad, Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad and
DGHC will implement schemes under RIDF VIII and for subsequent
tranches, the agency being determined in terms of the authority
exercising administrative control over the infrastructure involved
in those particular schemes. However, the list of the schemes to be
implemented under RIDF will be finalized by the ZP/SMP/DGHC in
consultation with the concerned line departments. Sanctioned schemes
under RIDF VI and RIDF VII for which tenders have already been
floated will continue to be implemented by following the earlier
guidelines. But schemes under these two tranches for which tenders
have not been floated will be implemented by the concerned
department or ZP etc, as the case may be, in terms of the revised
guidelines. However, irrespective of the implementing agencies, ZP
and other local bodies will remain responsible for monitoring the
progress of implementation of the schemes and will ensure
involvement of Panchayats and beneficiaries in the process. If the
Zilla Parishads / Siliguri MP/ DGHC intend to get any of the schemes
implemented by the line department, the schemes will be implemented
as deposit work. |