Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 2: State Government today complained about not getting due recognition from the Centre on the good work in rural development being done despite the threat of militancy and inhospitable terrain.
The matter was raised by State Rural Development Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar at the MNREGA Sammelan which saw Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi giving away awards to districts and Gram Panchayats for commendable work in various categories of rural job scheme.
Talking to EXCELSIOR on telephone from New Delhi after attending the function, Sagar said that he told the Sammelan that many districts and Gram Panchayats in Jammu and Kashmir were performing very well in rural development but the work was largely going unnoticed.
“I told the participants and the representatives of the Union Government that Jammu and Kashmir is doing well in the rural development despite being hilly district and our performance is far better than many States in the country”, he said, adding “the members of the local bodies and officials of the State Government are working very hard in many villages in the State to implement rural development programmes despite threats emanating from gun-wielding militants and rough terrain”.
Sagar further said, “per capita expenditure in Jammu and Kashmir is highest in the country but our efforts have failed to get any recognition from the Centre”, adding “we have utilized 85 per cent of the funds and data in this regard is being regularly furnished to the Government of India. Even the same is available on the internet for the information of everybody”.
“As per the guidelines of the MNREGA, 50 % funds are to be utilized at Panchayat Halqa level, 30 % at Block and 20 % at district level but we are planning 100 % expenditure at Panchayat level”, he said, adding “even UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi is laying stress on utilization of maximum funds at the Panchayat Halqa level”.
Earlier, while addressing the Sammelan, Sagar maintained that MG NREGA has acted as a tool for accelerating the development of rural and far flung areas besides providing employment opportunities and stopping the distress migration.
“The new initiative of convergence of the scheme with other activities would go a long way in ensuring its successful implementation and socio-economic transformation of the State”, he said, adding “the scheme has become a household name in the country and the timely amendments in the Act on the operational guidelines based on the inputs from the field is a healthy step, which synchronizes the implementation of this Act with the realities at the ground level”.
He said that the scheme has to a great extent acted as a tool to curb unemployment, disguised employment and provided employment opportunity at the doorsteps besides removing the regional disparities in the socio-economic development.
While calling for the increase in the wage rate to Rs 150, the Minister urged the Union Government to come to the rescue of the State by enhancing the wage rate under MG NREGA in the State. He said that the issue of including snow clearance as a permissible activity under the scheme may also be extended to the State as it will be of a great help in providing employment opportunities during the winter months.
Sagar also asked for involving the job holders in other programmes and schemes of different departments maintaining that it would expand the opportunity of unskilled employment outside the domain of MG NREGA.
Chairing the meeting, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh acknowledged the difficulties involved in implementation of rural development programme in Jammu and Kashmir and assured that the good work of the Gram Panchayats and districts will be duly recognised in the next meet.
Asked why districts and Gram Panchayats in Jammu and Kashmir did not receive any award, a Rural Development Ministry official said that the Ministry had sent circular to all States including Jammu and Kashmir seeking proposals for awards but the State Government failed to respond to it.
Awards were instituted in different categories including effective leadership and team work in IAP district, planning for water conservation, initiative in the challenging environment, effective mobilisation of labour, revival of traditional water management and equity in participation.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel