Adequate attention has not been paid by the Government towards the challenging task of development of wastelands in the country, according to the Parliamentary standing committee on urban and rural development. In its seventh report tabled in Parliament, it notes that although the department of Wastelands was created in July 1992, it could develop only 1.82 lakh hectares of wastelands under the IWDP, while funds were released by them for the development of about 2.38 lakh hectares of wasteland.