Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel on Tuesday asked the zilla panchayat officials to explore new activities under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to create job opportunities to revive rural economy which has remained hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the district.
At a meeting to review the programmes under MGNREGA Mr. Kateel said that rural economy should come back on track after the lull. Circulation of money should start from local daily wage and migrant workers. More job cards should be given to the eligible.
Mr. Kateel said that beedi workers can be identified for issuing new job cards as the beedi industry has collapsed.
He asked the Horticulture and Agriculture departments to identify land which have been left uncultivated. These departments should organise camps for farmers to give them suggestions on taking up alternative crops on such land, other than the traditional arecanut farming.
Mr. Kateel said that many youth who have returned from other States, especially from Maharashtra due to the global pandemic, are now ready to take up farming and allied activities, if they are profitable. The departments should talk to such persons on the prospects of taking up cultivation of alternative crops, other than arecanut.
Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Selvamani R. asked the Horticulture Department to promote vegetable cultivation in the district as Dakshina Kannada received vegetables from other districts. There is enough scope to cultivate vegetables under MGNREGA.
He asked the Social Forestry Department to develop more medicinal gardens in the district under MGNREGA.
Mr. Selvamani directed the officials to identify people to issue new job cards as per the 16 new guidelines issued by the government. They should be identified in a week, he said.
