The government has reduced the number of centrally sponsored schemes (CSS) to 28 umbrella schemes from 66, Parliament was informed on Monday.
"Based on the recommendation of the sub-group of Chief Ministers on rationalisation of centrally sponsored schemes, the government of India has rationalised centrally sponsored schemes (CSS) effective from the financial year 2016-17.
"The schemes of CSS have been reduced from 66 to 28 umbrella schemes," Minister of State(Independent Charge) for Planning Rao Inderjit Singh said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.
The minister further said, "6 schemes have been categorised as Core of the Core, 20 schemes as Core Schemes and remaining two as Optional Schemes".
If required, Singh said, the related schemes could be merged and implemented as "Umbrella Schemes" with flexibility to states to administer the admissible component in the line with state-specific requirements.