As many as 44 blocks and 04 Towns of 13 districts in Jharkhand are covered under Multi-Sectoral Development Programme (MsDP). At national level, MsDP is being implemented in total 710 minority Concentrated Blocks and 66 Minority Concentrated Towns and 13 Clusters of Contiguous Villages falling under 196 districts. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Minority Affairs stated in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday in reply to the question raised by member of the Rajya Sabha Parimal Nathwani.
According to the Minister, under MsDP, total Rs41.32 crore has been released for Jharkhand in last four years, said the statement. However, no physical targets are fixed by the ministry under MsDP and projects are approved on the basis of the projects proposals received from the States/UTs as per their requirements and needs. The programme has been restructured during 2013-14 to increase the coverage area, as per the statement. The programme is being implemented in 196 districts during 12th Plan period in place of 90 districts during 11th Plan period, said the minister.
He also added that in the restructured MsDP the unit Area of planning has been changed to Minority ConcentrationBlocks/MinorityConcentration Towns/Clusters of villages instead of district for sharper focus on the minority communities. Total Rs 2958.75 crore has been released under this scheme in the country in last four years, said the Minister.