Odisha has projected expenditure of Rs. 2,332 crore for implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme to create around 8.06 crore person days in the current financial year.
At least 30 per cent of works under MGNREGS will, however, be taken up through convergence mode in 2014-15. About Rs. 700 crore will be earmarked for execution of works through convergence.
The focus of convergence of MGNREGS will be on plantation, construction of anganwadi centres (AWCs) buildings, watershed projects, individual household latrines, forest road, land development and minor irrigation canals.
The Women and Child Development department has been asked to set target of 5,000 AWCs in 2014-15 to be taken up in convergence with MGNREGS and accordingly take steps for provisioning of funds.
According to Panchayati Raj department sources, non-coastal districts will be focus of implementation of MGNREGA where State government is targeting to generate 50 average person days from the area in the current financial year. High performing district like Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj, Kandhamal, Keonjhar, Koraput, Nuapda, Bolangir, Gajapati, Raygada, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, Ganjam and Kalahandi will generate 50 average person days under MGNREGS.
Similarly, the State government has targeted to spend Rs. 500 crore on plantation activities by the line departments. For plantation under MGNREGS in 2014-15, the concerned line departments have been asked to complete raising of nursery and selection of sites by the end of this month and pitting by end of June so that plantation activities can be completed timely.
