JOIN USMGNREGS: Model gram panchayats in the making
This decision was taken during a meeting held under the presidentship of MGNREGS Ombudsman Sheena Shetty recently. In this process, Zilla Panchayat will seek assistance from non government organisations and the two have decided to work in full throttle in this direction.
The meet decided to give emphasis on implementation of NREGS without any scope for leakage of funds and complaints so as to shape models at GP, which will be looked up on at national level.
A Rural Development and Panchayat Raj meeting held recently in Bangalore in the presence of Minister for Rural Development Jagadish Shettar too identified the excellent performance of Dakshina Kannada district in MGNREGS.
Discussions were held on the steps to be taken for effective implementation of the Scheme, means of spreading awareness on the same and motivating Panchayat Secretaries, Development Officers to work for the success of the scheme.
Chief Accounts Officer Ramdas gave information on giving priority to Scheduled Caste and Tribe in the scheme, provision to give 25 per cent less work for physically disabled, provision to provide funds only to those who have done works, immediate and long term benefits of the scheme, individual and group works that can be taken up under MGNREGS etc.
Ombudsman Sheena Shetty told that if there are any complaints with regard to MGNREGS, people can first file a complaint at the Panchayat. If the Panchayat does not respond then they can go to Executive Officer of the respective Taluk. If the EO fails to respond then they can go to the Chief Executive Officer of the Zilla Panchayat. If they do not get response anywhere, they can come to the Ombudsman, he said.
He said that MGNREGS has the provision to provide work all 12 months. “In the district, out of 203 GPs, 93 GPs have started work,” Shetty said adding that people should make use of the ‘Panchatantra’ technology introduced in the GPs for the benefits of the people.
Shetty further said that all GPs should have information board with regard to implementation of MGNREGS and no GP has the right to withhold applications of job seekers under the scheme.
Funds
Last year a sum of Rs 33 crore was released to the district under the scheme, of which only Rs 17 crore was spent. This year Rs 16 crore has been released, of which Rs 77 lakh has been spent.