Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, D. Napoleon has said that Rs.10 crores has been spent under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in Perambalur district during the current year.
Declaring open the Bharat Nirman Public Information campaign at the municipal grounds in Perambalur on Saturday, Mr.Napoleon said job cards have been issued to 70,105 families and 12.54 lakh man-days of employment have been generated in the district under the employment programme. Under the Indira Awas Yojana, 2860 houses are to be built in the district. Each identified family would be given Rs.55,000 for the construction of the houses. Those who do not have land and dwelling units, would be provided with houses immediately. Each house will have full-fledged sanitation facility, he said.
Expressing concern over the drop out ratio, especially among girls after higher secondary level, Mr. Napoleon urged people to encourage their children to pursue higher education.
He distributed Rs. 25,000 each to 14 families given as loan through the State Bank of India under the Indira Awas Yojana. He also distributed assistance under the Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Marriage Assistance Scheme to 20 beneficiaries.
Collector M.Vijaya Kumar, who presided over, appealed to district officials to ensure that the benefits of the welfare schemes reached the targeted masses.
The five-day long campaign is being organised by the Press Information Bureau, Chennai, in association with media units of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Sessions on rural development, youth and career development, health and sanitation, women development, SC/ST, weaker sections and minorities’ development have been planned. An exhibition with 70 stalls put up by various development agencies of the Central and State governments has also been organised. Field units of the Directorate of Field Publicity was also conducting media outreach programmes in 20 villages in the district.
