MGNREGS implemented poorly in Dakshina Kannada, says ZP chief

GPs, government officials face brickbats at KDP meeting

The gram panchayats and the officials concerned have been negligent in the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in the district, said Zilla Panchayat President Meenakshi Shantigodu.

Chairing the monthly KDP review meeting at the Zilla Panchayat auditorium in Mangaluru on Monday, she said that every gram panchayat has been directed to take up a minimum of 50 individual works under the scheme.

The panchayats, however, have not been implementing the same, she said and directed the officials to ensure that the works are taken up under the scheme. Every beneficiary should be provided 90 man days of work, she said.

Zilla Panchayat Vice President Kasturi Panja said that the construction work of anganwadi buildings has been marred by inordinate delays. Some building works have been consuming more than two years, she said. She, meanwhile, directed the officials to take up the works on drains while carrying out road development works.

Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer P I Sreevidya directed the taluk panchayat executive officers to identify lands for nurseries to be taken up in villages, in coordination with the Forest Department.

“Also, suitable land should be provided for government schools, to open anganwadis. Horticultural crops should be planted around the nurseries. The pending works under Ganga Kalyana scheme of Ambedkar Abhivruddhi Nigama should be completed within two months,” said the officer.

Congestion in colleges

Lack of space is a problem in most of the government PU colleges in the district. Ten PU college buildings have been sanctioned for the district under Nabard, but, the Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Ltd (KRIDL) has not yet started the work, the ZP CEO said and warned of recommending serious action against the KRIDL officer if the work is not taken up before the end of this week.

She, meanwhile, ordered that steps be taken towards the payment of salary to staff working in the HIV programme. “The fair price shops should be open from 8 am to 12 noon and 4 pm to 8 pm. The timings and the price should be displayed in the shops,” the CEO directed the department official.

Health Department official said that 297 dengue cases have been confirmed in the district and 11 people have died so far.

The ZP president said that the Asha workers have been collecting information on dengue and malaria cases by visiting the houses and they are paid Re 1 per visit. But, the amount is very meagre, she said and instructed the Health Department to send a proposal to the government to revise the payment.

Zilla Panchayat Deputy Secretary N R Umesh was present at the meeting, among other officials.