HP govt allows unemployed rural persons to work in private land under MGNREGA
Thakur said that, ₹54 crore has been spent and 22 lakh person days were generated under MGNREGA during the current financial year
The Himachal Pradesh government has allowed unemployed people in rural areas to work in their land under MGNREGA, even if the work is not in the Gram Sabha approved shelf, chief minister Jai Ram Thakur said on Saturday.
He was presiding over a review meeting of the rural development and panchayati raj department here.
Thakur said that ₹54 crore has been spent and 22 lakh person days were generated under MGNREGA during the current financial year so far.
CM said that the department has also issued instructions regarding the maintenance of PWD roads, tranches of Jal Shakti department under MGNREGA.
“To ensure transparency MGNREGA works, the department has implemented ‘Secure’ software. Besides, 100% payments for works under the scheme were ensured through Direct Benefit Transfer,” said Thakur.
He said for worksite facilities homemade protective face cover, soap and water were being provided labourers involved in the MGNREGA project.
Thakur said that the department has also created a quality control cell in order to improve the quality of works executed under the scheme.
“Ombudsmen have been appointed in six districts namely Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, Mandi, Shimla and Solan, and soon appointments will be made in remaining districts,” he said.
CM added that the department has set a target of building 998 houses under Mukhya Mantri Awas Yojana during the current financial year to facilitate poor people.
To ensure quality work in building the houses under various housing schemes, the department is also planning to impart training to masons, he said.
Thakur said that the state government has also launched Mukhya Mantri One Bigha Scheme recently by the convergence between National Rural Livelihood Mission and MGNREGA.
He said that over 2000 self-help groups have applied under this scheme to date.
He said that the government was laying a special focus on imparting skills and placement of rural poor in the formal sector.
He said that under Project Unnati, the government has set a target to train youth in various new trades such as fashion designing, assistant hairstylist, multi-skill technician and dairy processing equipment etc.
Chief minister said that as a special initiative by the state government under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin, ₹23.70 crore have been released to the Jal Shakti Vibhag for setting up of sewerage treatment plants on a pilot basis in Thunag, Dharampur and Janjehli in Mandi district and Bangana in Una district.
He said that the projects of wayside amenities have been sanctioned in four districts including Shimla, Solan, Sirmaur and Una by spending ₹1 crore each.
Stressing on enhancing the capacity of panchayats for inclusive local governance, CM said that efforts should be made on optimum utilisation of available resources and convergence schemes.
He said that the panchayats should work to raise their own sources of revenue.
Rural development and panchayati raj minister Virender Kanwar said that an effective mechanism should be evolved to check delay in various technical approvals so that works could be started at the earliest.
He said that Himachal Pradesh has increased the number of employment days from 100 to 120 under MNREGA.