The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) seems to be paying dividends. The district has succeeded in creating assets while implementing the scheme. As many as 39 buildings will be inaugurated on Ugadi in the district.
The officials have constructed buildings for mandal samakhyas and village panchayats in the district even while providing employment to the rural people. The Central government has made a provision to create assets under the programme. Of the total allocations, 40 per cent of the funds can be spent on purchasing materials, while 60 per cent funds have to be spent on wages. The government has sanctioned 43 buildings for mandal samakhyas and same number for village panchayats. However, construction of only 40 mandal samakhyas could be commenced; with regard to village panchayats, 39 were commenced. Of this, 12 mandal samakhyas and 27 village panchayat buildings were completed and ready for occupation, officials say.
Funds sanctioned
The government has sanctioned Rs. 10 lakh for village panchayat buildings and Rs. 25 lakh for mandal samakhya buildings. The mandal samakhya buildings were designed in such a way that they would be useful for DWMA and DRDA field staff meetings also.
Under the MNREGS, the works such as laying of roads, construction of buildings could be taken up. The government included the clause -creation of assets - with a view that employment generation should meet the long term requirements also. Hitherto the providing jobs and creation of assets is being done taking the district as a unit. This year onwards, the village would be taken as a unit. It would help in laying roads, at least donka roads, to the villages, etc.
Under the MNREGS, 2.3 lakh households (or 3.8 lakh labourers) were provided employment in the district last year. 90-lakh man days were created; the registered households got employment for 41 out of 100 days, officials say.
