A year after the reorganisation of districts, several of them still face infrastructure issues and shortage of manpower. But that did not hinder many Collectors to make a beginning and bring positive change in few sectors at least.
For instance, Vikarabad Collector D. Divya achieved significant milestones. Carved out of Ranga Reddy, Vikarabad district with predominantly rural areas topped the State in generating the highest number of man days under MGNREGA and in ensuring 100 days of work to maximum number of households, thus putting money in the hands of rural poor.
But delay in payment of wages is an issue, Ms. Divya says. ‘Chinnarulaki Chirudhanyalu’ is a programme to introduce millets with greater nutrition value in to the diet of children in Anganwadi centres.
With the success of pilot project launched in 45 Anganwadi centres with millet-based menu like Jonna upma, Korra kichidi, instead of rice based items, the Department of Women and Children Development now cleared it to extend to all Anganwadi centres in the State.
“We also want to distribute millets through public distribution system and started it on an experimental basis in six fair price shops. Millets can be purchased directly from farmers and supplied through PDS and this will also help in weaning farmers from paddy cultivation in a dry area like Vikarabad. The paddy cultivation was one of the factors for farmers’ distress in the district. A proposal to scale up distribution of millets through PDS was submitted,” she said.
