1.0 The Department of Wastelands Development was set up in July 1992 and placed under the Ministry of Rural Development. The restructured National Wastelands Development Board (NWDB) was given the specific responsibility to evolve mechanisms for integrated development of non-forest wastelands through systematic planning and implementation, in a cost effective manner, specially to meet the needs for the people in the rural areas in respect of fuel wood and fodder.

1.1 As part of its activities in fulfillment of its mandate the NWDB sponsors research and extension of research findings to disseminate new and appropriate technologies for wastelands development.

(a) To operationalise appropriate, cost effective and proven technologies for development of various categories of wastelands specially problem lands affected by soil erosion, land degradation, salinity, alkalinity, waterlogging etc.

(b) To implement location specific pilot project as demonstration models for development of wastelands on a sustainable basis.

( c ) To take up pilot projects for development of wastelands through land based activities including pisciculture, duckery, bee-keeping, etc.

(d) To disseminate research findings about new and appropriate technologies and the application of such technologies for promoting wastelands development.

(e) To undertake mapping of wastelands including preparation of thematic maps relevent for the purpose of designing of watershed development projects/schemes using conventional and state-of-the-art technologies, methodes and materials and to prepare watershed developmentproject for identified areas.

(f) To undertake and support preparation of watershed maps and atlas of micro-watershed as an aid to the planning and implementation of watershed development programes.

3.1 The major activities to be undertaken under the scheme would comprise of :

1. Agro-forestry models established/developed by ICAR would assist increase the productivity of private/community wastelands in non-forest areas, which will be adopted for research/demonstration under the scheme. The models are: Agri-cilviculture, Silvi-pasture, Agri-silvi-pasture, Energy plantation, Silvi-horticulture, Agri-silvi-horticulture, Home0stead/multi-story planning and other Agro-forestry systems.
2. Planting of trees, shrubs, grasses, legumes, etc. having nitrogen fixing ability; rapid growth coppicing ability, and multi-purpose uses.
3. Land-based economic activities other than planting at (I) above, like horticulture, pisciculture, apiculture, piggery, duckery, etc. in view of the land capability.
4. Conserve and increase water regime through soil and moisture conservation, vegetative measures like gully-plugging, check dams, water harvesting structures, terracing, bunding, trenching etc.
5. New and innovative techniques like use of VAM, tissue culture seedlings, vegetative propogation etc. to increase productivity of wastelands.
6. Extension and Training measure needed to disseminate proven and new technologies.

4.0     EXTENT AND PATTERN OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

    Under this Central Sector Scheme, 100% central grant will be admissible for implementing projects which are on lands owned by Government/Government Institution/Government Undertakings including universities and non-profit making agencies or the Village Panchayats from which the usufructs will flow to the community.

    For projects being executed on land belonging to private farmer/Corporate Sector the cost of the project would be shared in a 60:40 ration between the NWDB and the farmer/Corporate body.

--- Technology development/research
--- Pilot projects
--- Field trial of established technologies on farmers fields/village commons/other institutional lands
--- Extension and training

4.2 The Technology Extension Scheme deals with the promotion of research/operation research projects/extension. Hence, it would not be possible or advisable to restrict such projects by rigid norms specially cost norms etc. Each project proposal will be considered and sanctioned on the following basis :--

1. No brick and mortar structures (i.e. permanent structures) rquipments (excluding those essential for the specific research purpose) would be supported.
2. The projects should have a mission approach and must be time bound.
3. There should ordinarily be no permanent staff sanctioned under the scheme.

4.3 The cost on staff and contingency, training and awareness raising, publicity, POL, TA, DA, etc. should be provided under the "Overhead Charges" and ordinarily restricted to 20% of the cost of the project.

4.4     Treatment of problematic lands such as saline, alkaline, ravinous, waterlogged areas etc. warrant special financial provision with some additional inputs to bring the soil conditions for providing permanent vegetal cover. The funding requirements will, however, vary from project to project and justification provided for the same by the promoters of the project.

4.5 Organisational Support: This will be provided for by the Project Implementing Agencies. The financial support from NWDB for supporting essential research staff will be restricted to barest minimum.

5. The Implementing Agencies : The scheme envisages involving, Governmental agencies, Agricultural Universities, established and reputed Non-Governmental organisations, Public Sector Undertakings etc. to share responsibilities for taking up research/pilot projects to develop/demonstrate proven technologies and the dissemination of appropriate technologies prepared wither through the TE scheme or even by other institutions.

6.0     Training and Extension:

1. The training and extension programme for farmers will be funded in respect of direct costs, i.e. training material, fee for resource personnel and expenses of trainee up to a limit of Rs. 75/- per person/day, for 5 days restricted to 100 participants. Training as an isolated activity will not be taken up and it will have to be related to a project where wasteland development technologies are being tested.
2. The training of extension officers/staff of implementing agency, and other involved agencies, the permissible cost up to Rs. 100/- per person/day, for five days restricted to 20 participants.
3. Based on the merits of each proposal planting materials such as Jo Jo Ba- production of genetically superior varieties and other high values pasture/horticulture, soil-building genetic species, will be funded under the scheme. No cost norms for such innovative projects can be prescribed.

The duration of the project will ordinarily be 3 to 5 years.

7.     Sanction and Release of Funds:

1. The institution promoting the project would prepare a project brief giving information under the following broad heads:

--- Details about the Institution/technical personnel etc.
--- Objectives of the Scheme
--- Relation of the proposal to the objective of NWDB
--- Previous work done on this subject by other agencies
--- Application/Replicability of the project results
--- Physical and financial details of the project, yearwise Details about land availability
--- Monitoring and Evaluation of the project
--- Results expected in physical terms

2. The proposal will be submitted to Department of Wastelands Development, Ministry of Rural Development, NMO Building, G-Wing, Nirman Bhawan. New Delhi-110011, in duplicate in Annexure-III
   .
3. The following procedure would be followed for approving the projects:

1. There will be an initial scrutiny of the project to see that it conforms to these guidelines. Based on the scrutiny further details/clarifications may be obtained, if necessary, either through correspondence or discussion.
2. Once the project is complete in all respects it would be submitted to the Sanctioning Committee concerned for consideration and approval.
3. There will be two sanctioning committees as follows :---

1. Sanctioning Committee --- Level I for project involving an outlay of Rs. 10 lakhs and above:
   

Additional Secretary	DoWD         Chairman
Joint Secretary & Financial Adviser	DoWD          Member
Joint Secretary	DoWD          Member
Representative of ICAR	Member
Director (TE)	DoWD           Member

2. Sanctioning Committee --- Level II for project with an outlay below Rs. 10 lakhs.
   

Joint Secretary	DoWD             Chairman
Representative	ICAR                Member
Deputy Secretary	DoWD (IFD)   Member
DIGF	DoWD          Member
Director (TE)	DoWD          Member

Both the Committees may co-opt technical experts, if needed.

3. On approval of a project the TE section would issue the sanction and ensure that the terms and stipulations in the sanction are fully complied with. The Project will be approved for the entire period of the project i.e. three to five year as the case may be. The funds will be released on year to year basis or as specifically decided in the case of each project.
   
4. After the release of the first installment, release of the subsequent installment will be subject to satisfactory level of physical and financial performance as envisaged in the project at the time of approval.