- (1.) In the early eighties, the Government of Rajasthan introduced various programmes and allied schemes for poverty elimination, employment generation etc. It brought into existence bodies known as District Rural Development Agencies (hereinafter referred to as 'DRDAs') registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. The main object of these agencies was to plan and administer the area development programme aiming at Integrated Rural Development. In the year 1992, these DRDAs were concerned with the following schemes. Limit of Admn. - Expenses (i) I. R. D. P. (Antyodaya) - 10-15% (ii) Desert Development Programme - 5% (iii) Jawahar Rozgar Yojna - 2% (iv) Indira Avas Yojna - 2% (v) Apna Gaon Apna Kam - 2% (vi) Bio-gas Plants - (vii) Development of Women and Children of Rural Areas. -
(2.) The main object of the Agencies was to implement such Schemes and to identify beneficiaries including small and marginal farmers, agricultural labourers and other persons eligible for assistance under these Schemes. The agencies also co-ordinated execution of these plans for the benefit of the identified participants through the existing agencies engaged in this direction in the field whether private, public or co-operative. Each District Rural Development Agency was an independent entity with a District Collector as ex officio Chairman and a Project Director as the Chief Executive Officer.
(3.) There are 33 districts in the State of Rajasthan and as such there were 33 DRDAs in the State with an ex-officio Chairman and a Project Director. Subject to the allocation of the fund by the State of Rajasthan to each DRDA for implementation of Particular scheme, persons were employed on various posts pursuant to the State Rural Development Agency Employees Service Regulation, 1983. Each DRDA was an independent Agency located in each district. The appointments were made locally and seniority of the employees was also maintained on district basis. There was no inter se seniority. The jobs were not interchangeable or transferable from the DRDA to another. The services of the employees strictly depended on funds made available to individual DRDA for implementing its scheme for only a fixed administrative expenses were met out of the same.;