Record man-days created in Dakshina Kannada under MGNREGS

Dakshina Kannada district has achieved more than the target in the implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme during 2020-21.

Several works under MGNREGS were carried out during Covid-19 lockdown in the district and also helped in generating employment to those who had lost their means of livelihood.

The district has 65,078 active job card holders, of which 32,644 card holders were given employment during 2020-21. As many as 11,789 new job cards were generated in the district during the year.

The target in the district was creation of 16 lakh man-days. However, the district has completed 16,54,551 man-days during the year and has achieved 103% success.

Since the implementation of MGNREGS in Dakshina Kannada in 2008, this is the highest man-days created so far. In the past, the district had achieved 15,50,000 man-days. In 2019-20, a total of 1,29,113 job cards were issued and 12.91 lakh man-days were generated. In 2020-21, a total of 1,40,018 job cards were issued.

According to officials, several works on digging percolation pits, rejuvenation of water bodies, small rivulets were taken up under Jala Shakthi - Catch The Rain campaign. Further, the work on construction of soak pits were taken up in villages.

Several women job card holders were engaged in removing silt from small rivulets in Kolnadu, Noojibailu, Athikaribettu, Kilpadi, Jalsoor, Devachalla, Nellur, Kemraje, Kalanja Kollamogru, Madyanadka and others areas and also took up the works of construction of school compound.

Zilla Panchayat Chief Excutive Officer Dr Kumar said that there was no demand for work under MGNREGS in the district in the past. However, there was demand for work last year during the lockdown. Several works could be taken up during the period.

Statistics of the works in 2020-21

Taluk Job cards Man-days

Bantwal 35,256 3,27,331

Belthangady 36,936 4,06,399

Mangaluru 18,584 2,00,152

Kadaba 13,959 46,627

Moodbidri 6,640 92,996

Puttur 12,110 1,87,454

Sullia 16,533 1,93,592