Name of the Organisation : Rural Development & Panchayat Raj Department (tnrd.gov.in)
Type of Announcement : Tamil Nadu Village Habitations Improvement (THAI) Scheme
http://www.tnrd.gov.in/schemes/st_thai.php
http://www.tnrd.gov.in/index.html
Tamil Nadu Village Habitations Improvement (THAI) Scheme :
This Government has introduced the flagship programme called Tamil Nadu Village Habitations Improvement (THAI) Scheme from 2011-12 onwards to overcome the bottlenecks in the uneven distribution of resources and to provide minimum basic infrastructure facilities to all the habitations. Tamil Nadu is the only State focusing on ‘Habitation’ as the unit of development and no other State in the Country is implementing such an innovative scheme.
There are about 7 habitations on an average for each Village Panchayat in Tamil Nadu with 79,394 habitations in 12,524 Village Panchayats. However, the number of habitations varies from District to district. The average number of habitations in a Village Panchayat in The Nilgiris District is 37 whereas it is only 3 in Villupuram District. Therefore, allocation of equal amount to all the Village Panchayats, with varied number of habitations, has led to disparity in development, disproportionate distribution of assets and uneven progress. The THAI scheme has come as boon with the aim of extending the basic facilities to the grass root habitation.
There are 12,524 Village Panchayats in the State spread across the 31 Districts (except Chennai). As can be seen from the following table, the population of Village Panchayats in Tamil Nadu varies widely with some Village Panchayats having population even below 500 while some others have population exceeding 10,000.
Minimum Basic Requirements :
Water Supply :
Drinking water supply works like provision of power pump, extension of pipeline, augmentation of existing source shall be taken up depending upon the requirement.
Street Lights :
New streetlights will be provided in the new habitations, extension areas, Adi-Dravidar & Tribal habitations and IAY housing colonies, based on the actual needs. Additional street lights, including solar powered lights will be provided in the areas where the existing coverage is felt inadequate.
Cement Concrete Roads :
Pavements with residential units on sides, streets or lanes prone to water logging, part of the uncovered portion where a portion of the street has already been covered with cement concrete, will be taken up on priority.
Link Roads :
Link roads will cover bus-plying roads, upgradation of WBM roads to BT roads connecting two or more habitations in the same Panchayat and upgradation of earthen/gravel roads.
Cremation / Burial Grounds :
Each burial ground / cremation ground will be provided with approach road, compound wall, cremation shed, water facility and lights.
Pathway to Burial Ground :
Wherever the pathway is already available, improvement of the existing pathway will be taken up and wherever pathway is not available, top priority will be given to provide approach road or pathway.
The additional requirements and other permitted works will be taken up based on the need and necessity. Apart from THAI, the scheme will be implemented by dovetailing funds, from various schemes of Rural Development & Panchayat Raj Department and schemes of other Departments.
Scheme Implementation :
The Scheme has been programmed to be implemented in 5 phases from 2011-12 to 2015-16.
During 2011-12, a total of 25,335 habitations in 2,020 Village Panchayats have been selected for implementation with an annual allocation of Rs. 680 crore.
During 2012-13, this programme has been implemented in 18,581 habitations of 2,250 Village Panchayats with an annual allocation of Rs.750 crore.
Scheme Implementation during 2013-14 :
THAI Scheme will be implemented in 15,115 habitations of 2,500 Village Panchayats with an allocation of Rs.750 crore. Out of this, Rs.680 crore will be earmarked for fulfilling the basic needs. Additional Rs.70 crore will be earmarked to improve Panchayat Union Roads which run through or in the vicinity of the THAI villages of 2013-14.
Detailed Survey has been conducted already in these habitations based on which the actual requirement will be arrived at and works will be taken up under THAI Scheme during 2013-14.
To fulfill all the requirements, dovetailing of funds from other schemes of Rural Development & Panchayat Raj Department and other Departments will be done.