Bharat Nirman has been conceived as a business plan for building infrastructure especially in rural area. It has six components which aims are:
(i) Water supply:
Providing safe drinking water to all uncovered habitations by 2012.
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(ii) Housing:
Target of 60 lakh additional houses for the poor achieved (ill 2009. Target of 1.2 crore houses by 2014 adopted.
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(iii) Rural Telecom Connectivity:
Achieve 40% rural teledensily by the year 2014, ensure broadband coverage to all 2.5 lakh Panchayats and set up Bharat Nirman Scva Kendras at Panchayat level by 2012.
(iv) Roads:
Connect all villages that have a population of 1000 (or 500 in hilly tribal area) with an all weather road by 2012.
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(v) Rural electrification:
Reach electricity to all villages and offer electricity connection to 1.75 crore poor households by 2012.
(vi) Irrigation:
Bring additional one crore hectare of land under assured irrigation by 2012. National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP).
National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) was introduced in 1995. It aims at ensuring minimum national standard for social assistance in addition to the benefits that state are currently providing or might provide in future. At present NSAP comprise Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS), National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) and Annapurna.
Under IGNOAPS which was launched on 19th November, 2007, Rs. 200 per month per beneficiary is provided by way of central assistance to all persons who are 65 years or higher and belonging to a family living below the poverty line.
Annapurana Scheme was introduced on 1st April 2000 to provide 10 Kgs of food grains per month free of cost to eligible beneficiaries who could not be covered under NOAPS. Under NFBS, Rs. 10000 is provided to a BPL family in case of natural or accidental death of a primary bread winner in the family while in the age group of 18 to 64 years.
The annual requirement of funds under NSAP at present is Rs. 4200 crore per annum which includes Rs. 3800 crore for old age pension and Rs. 400 crore for National Family Benefit Scheme.
After transfer of the Schemes under NSAP to State Plan in 2002-03, funds are released as Additional Central Assistance (ACA) by the Ministry of Finance. The implementation of Programme is monitored by the Ministry of Rural Development.