JOIN USMGNREGS may be boon to Naxal-hit regions in DK
To give emphasis to the development of nine Naxal infested gram panchayats, Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat and Jana Shikshana Trust have chalked out plans to take up works under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
In the nine gram panchayats, there are 476 ST families and 510 SC families. However, the job cards have been issued to 346 ST families and 268 SC families respectively.
Speaking to Deccan Herald, MGNREGS Ombudsman Sheena Shetty said that efforts will be made to issue job cards to all the families. The individual work will be given priority such as developing the land, digging wells, planting saplings of fruit bearing trees, setting up compost pit and so on.
“In fact, the Central Government has decided to include six new sectors including dairy farming under the ambit of works permissible under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. With due consideration to the local scenario that exists in the State, the revisions that have been made to the guidelines of the scheme also includes the addition of works pertaining to the coir, fisheries and traditional industries and waste disposal.”
The guidelines also allows livestock related works, such as poultry shelter, goat shelter, construction of pucca floor, urine tanks and fodder trough for cattle, azolla as cattle -feed supplement, fish drying yards, rural drinking water related works like soak pits, recharge pits, individual household latrines, school toilet unit and so on. “The works included in the new sectors can also be taken up in the region,” he informed.
He said the work on road connectivity to villages will also be taken up. All the nine gram panchayat PDOs have been directed to visit the houses of every family to create awareness on MGNREGS.
‘Kayaka bandhu’ will be appointed for every 40 families, to look into the implementation of the scheme. Indabettu, Naravi and Naada Gram Panchayats have held meetings with the SC/ST leaders and families and have chalked out action plan for the MGNREGS. Laila, Malavanthige, Melanthabettu, Shirlalu, Aladangadi and Mithabagilu Gram Panchayats are yet to convene a meeting to discuss on the action plan.
All the nine gram panchayats have been directed to issue work order by August end. Jana Shikshana Trust will also create awareness on gram sabhas among the villagers.
Indabettu Gram Panchayat PDO Rajeevi said that she has conducted a survey of the families which do not have job cards. Action plan has been prepared under MGNREGS and the work will be started by the end of August. As its raining heavily in the region, job card holders can not take up any work at present. In the recently held meeting, Zilla Panchayat CEO Dr K N Vijayaprakash has said that he will review the progress of the work every 15 days.