RDPR dept seeks ISRO aid to monitor MGNREGS works

The dept will give more emphasis to train newly elected GP members

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Shettar said “all works being carried out under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) will be monitored thoroughly through the system.” Explaining about the system, Shettar said that the ISRO will take the satellite pictures of an area before the implementation of the scheme and the same will be saved in separate folders. Later, another picture will be taken after the completion of the work so that the progress of the work can be monitored properly, he said adding that the system can check the irregularities of making payment without carrying out works.

Rs 4,600 cr  target

Shettar said that the government has fixed target of Rs 4,600 crore for the implementation of MGNREGS in the State for the year 2010-11. In the year 2009-10, the State had implemented works to the tune of Rs 2,830 crore under the MGNREGS, he said adding, “the responsibilities of newly elected Gram Panchayat members will increase as the target is more for the current year.”

Training for GP members

The Minister said that the Department will give more emphasis to train the newly elected Gram Panchayat members. He said that training is necessary since majority of the nearly 88,000 newly elected GP members are newcomers.

The Mysore based Abdul Nazeer Saab State Training Institute for Rural Development (SIRD) will impart training to GP presidents and vice presidents on Panchayatiraj system, rules, accounts and schemes in taluk and district centres in July. Meanwhile, three days-long batch-wise training programme will be commenced for all GP members in October.

He called upon newly elected GP members to observe the year as ‘Gram Sabha Varsha’. “Members should give more emphasis so that Gram Sabhas should be conducted in all GPs compulsorily. The process of implementation of development schemes and selection of beneficiaries under various schemes can be made easy through Gram Sabhas,” he added.  Talking about the GP election results, Shettar said that nearly 65 per cent of the winning candidates in the State are BJP workers.  District-in-Charge Minister J Krishna Palemar, Coastal Karnataka Development Authority Chairman B Nagaraj Shetty, Mangalore City Corporation Mayor Rajani Dugganna, BJP District President Padmanabha Kottari and others were present.