G.O.(Ms.) No.313, Merger of Special Area Development Programme Units, 2021

What the government order does

The Planning, Development and Special Initiatives (TC-II) Department issued G.O.(Ms.) No.313 on 3 December 2021 to reorganise the Special Area Development Programme. The programme supports hill areas, including areas prone to left wing extremism, across 11 districts.

The government merged Unit-I at Udhagamandalam and Unit-II at the State Planning Commission in Chennai. The resulting Integrated Administrative and Financial Management Unit is headquartered at Udhagamandalam, The Nilgiris.

Areas and authorities covered

G.O.(Ms.) No.313 covers Special Area Development Programme administration in:

• The Nilgiris
• Coimbatore
• Erode
• Tiruppur
• Madurai
• Dindigul
• Theni
• Virudhunagar
• Tirunelveli
• Tenkasi
• Kanniyakumari

The Project Director, Special Area Development Programme, heads the integrated unit and reports directly, as Head of the Department, to the Secretary of the Planning and Development Department.

Key administrative and funding provisions

G.O.(Ms.) No.313 makes the following changes:

• The two existing programme units are combined into one unit at Udhagamandalam.
• G.O.Ms.No.40 dated 4 March 2016 is superseded.
• Proposals for all 11 districts must be vetted through the relevant District Collectors.
• Schemes and projects require approval at government level, based on need and viability.
• Existing guidelines for selecting areas and schemes, and for implementing the programme, continue until further orders.
• The Project Director at Udhagamandalam is authorised to operate the listed programme accounts, draw funds and release them to districts and Programme Implementing Agencies for approved schemes.
• The earlier financial authorisation given to the Head of Division (Land Use), State Planning Commission, is withdrawn with immediate effect.
• The Treasury Officer at Udhagamandalam is directed to admit and pass programme bills under the listed accounts.

Relevance to property owners and buyers

G.O.(Ms.) No.313 concerns the internal administration and funding of government development schemes. It does not contain provisions changing private land ownership, property title, registration requirements or land use classification. A landowner may be indirectly affected only where an approved Special Area Development Programme project is implemented in the relevant locality.