Govt approves merging of centrally sponsored schemes

21 Jun 2013 Evaluate

In a move to efficiently monitor Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) and to provide greater flexibility to states, the government has approved a proposal to merge over 140 CSS into 66 across various sectors. Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said that different schemes in one area will be condensed to one scheme and now the district collectors would have to deal with fewer schemes.

CSS are special purpose grants extended by the Central Government to States to encourage and motivate State governments to plan and implement programmes that help attain national goals and objectives, for instance, extending clean drinking water and sanitation to every habitation, to promote equitable and sustainable human development. Schemes, with small outlays which are not likely to make impact at the level of States and commensurate with the national priorities, then such schemes would be transferred to States and in some cases get merged with the main schemes.

In FY14, Rs.1,86,816 crore has been compressed into 66 programmes, out of which Rs.18,700 crore will be flexible for states’ utilization. The schemes guidelines have been made flexible for the states, which will allow the states to incur expenditure up to 10% of the central fund allocation under any programme.  

Further, the government’s statement said that a scheme may have state-specific guidelines to suit the requirements of the states and the financial assistance to the states in these schemes would be provided through the consolidated funds of the states.

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