(a) Swarn Jayanti Gram Swaraj Yojana:

Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP) and allied programmes such as Training of Rural youth for self employment (TRYSEM), DWACRA, Million Wells scheme, SITRA, and Ganga Kalyan yojna have been restructured in to a self employment programme called Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojna (SGSY) from April 1999 with the following objectives:

(i) Focussed approach to poverty alleviation (ii) Capitalising advantages of group lending and (iii) Overcoming the problems associated with multiplicity of programmes. The SGSY is conceived as a holistic programme of micro enterprises covering all aspects of self- employment which includes orgnising rural poor into self-help Groups (SHGs). It integrates various agencies-District Rural Development agencies, banks, Panchayafi Raj institutions, Nongovernmental Organization and other Semi- government organisations.

The objective of SGSY is to bring the existing poor families above the poverty line by providing them income generating assets through a mix of bank credit and government subsidy and to ensure that an assisted family has a monthly income of atleast Rs. 2000. Subsidy under SGSY is uniform at 30 per cent of the project cost subject to a maximum of Rs. 7500. In respect to scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, it is 50 per cent subject to a ceiling of Rs. 1.25 lakhs. There is no monetary limit on subsidy for irrigation projects. SGSY is funded by the centre and states in the ratio of 75:25.

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(b) Law Commission of India:

The 15th Law Commission was reconstituted on 1 Sept 1997 for a period of 3 years with Honorable Justice B.P. Jeevan Reddy as chairman and Mrs. Justice Leila Seth and Dr.N.M. Ghatate as members. The terms of reference of the law commission are:

(i) Review/repeal of obsolete laws

(ii) Law and poverty

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(iii) To keep under review the sys tern of judicial administration.

(iv) To examine the existing laws in the light of Directive principle of state policy and to suggest ways of empowerment and reform.

(v) To revise the central acts of general importance

(vi) To consider and to convey to the government its view on any other subject relating to law and judicial administration that may be referred to.

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Various subjects were taken up by the commission suo motto in view of the importance of the issues while some subjects were taken up on a reference from the govt, of India.

The commission has so far submitted 174 reports. The last four reports were on (a) the Biodiversity Bill, 2000 (b) Review of Rape laws; (c) Prevention of Terrorism Bill, 2000 and (d) Property Rights of women.