An additional ₹ 32.90 crore under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) has been allotted to Koppal district to prevent migration by providing employment as part of tackling drought prevailing in the district.
Disclosing this at a zilla panchayat general body meeting here on Thursday, Shekarappa Nagaralli, president of the zilla panchayat, said that in view of severe drought in the district for the second year owing to failure of rain, the demand for employment in the rural areas was increasing. As of now all steps have been taken to tackle the situation, including providing employment to the needy to prevent migration, he said.
According to him, the increased allocation was in addition to the already allocated ₹ 97.82 crore. The creation of man-days has also been revised to 32.90 lakh from 24.68 lakh. So far, during the current year, ₹ 71.72 crore had been spent to provide employment to 1.14 lakh people to create 19.11 lakh man-days.
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When some of the members drew the attention of the chair that borewells had dried and drilling new ones was of no use due to depletion of groundwater sources, Mr. Nagralli directed the officials to accord top priority to tackling drinking water problem arising in rural areas.
Shivanna, Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry Department, told the meeting that the process of finalising tenders for procuring fodder and preparations for setting up goshalas — two each in the four taluks — had been completed and would be opened where necessary.
Lakshmama Neerloti, zilla panchayat vice-president, Venkat Raja, Chief Executive Officer, and several members participated.
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