Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 16: Rajouri and Leh districts have been nominated for national award for doing commendable work under MGNREGA.
This was revealed by Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Abdul Haq while reviewing functioning of Rural Development Department in Rajouri district. He said that these districts have been nominated for national award for meeting all the criteria and following all parameters set under MGNREGA.
Congratulating the administration of both the districts for doing commendable job, he said that Department of Rural Development has created durable assets under MGNREGA and breaking tradition of constructing lanes and drains only, focus is now being laid on rural connectivity, micro irrigation, construction of bridges, plantation, land development and construction of playgrounds.
Accompanied by Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali, the Rural Development Minister said that all the assets in the districts have been geo-tagged. He said the geo-tagging is a touchstone of transparency that will enforce better monitoring, recording and management of developmental works at the cutting edge level.
Stressing on the officials of other districts to take a cue from works done in districts of Leh and Rajouri, Abdul Haq said the nomination for award is imagined to motivate and recognize the excellent and exceptional work done by the department.
He said that new initiatives taken by the department will change the dynamics of rural areas and will blur the rural-urban divide. He said several innovative initiatives have been taken to make the functioning of the department accountable and transparent with the aim that the benefits of the schemes would reach the rural masses well in time.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali said that many developmental works have either been completed or taken up by Rural Development Department and a visible change is noticed on the ground in the shape of well constructed culverts, bridges, or roads speaks for the work done by the department.
While appreciating the department, the Minister stressed on the need to keep up with the good work. He said that creating a positive image about the department takes time and one lapse by someone could waste all the good work carried out by the rest. Therefore, he said it is important that everyone reviews their work, and if any lapse is found, it is immediately corrected.
He suggested Abdul Haq for early “delimitization” of Panchayats, and requested to start a recruitment drive in district Rajouri. He said that many blocks in the district are understaffed due to which one block officer sometimes has to look after two or three blocks in the area.
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