Minister for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Law and Justice Abdul Haq today asked the officers to make use of the flagship programs of Rural Development to generate employment and creation of durable assets in rural areas of the state.The Minister said this while reviewing the physical and financial achievements in the rural development sector in the first quarter of the current fiscal.The Minister was accompanied by Secretary Rural Development.Abdul Haq asked the officers to work tirelessly on ground so that the schemes are implemented on ground and deserving people are benefitted.He further stated that MGNREGA funds should be utilized for creating productive assets in the rural areas instead of squandering the same on unproductive works.Abdul Haq said the MGNREGA funds should be utilized for improving connectivity in villages, flood protection works and creating durable and useful assets for villages.The Minister was informed that under MGNREGA, the Department has an approved budget of Rs 349.49 crore while currently available budget is Rs 159.93.The Minister was informed that 77.52 percent funds were utilized in the first quarter that amounts to Rs 123.97 crore.The officers informed the minister that 25325 works were taken up in the first quarter out of which 13623 works were completed. They said the Department has set a target of 1.14 crore mandays generation under MGNREGA while Six lakh mandays have been achieved in first quarter.
The Minister was informed that department has issued 546143 job cards while 58 households have been given full 100 days jobs. The Minister was informed that under IAY, the Department has an available budget of Rs 1.76 crore out of which Rs 2.73 lacs were utilized till date.During the meeting Abdul Haq stressed upon the officers to come up with innovative ideas so that MGNREGA be used for employment generation.He said the state has good potential for Fisheries Development and asked officers to go for convergence of funds with Fisheries Department so that this high-return industry gets a boost with the help of MGNREGA besides providing job opportunity to local youths..“Let the Fisheries Department come up with plan for construction of fish ponds, we will provide labor budget under MGNREGA for the same,” he said.Abdul Haq also laid stress on improving connectivity in rural areas. “Better connectivity, flood protection works and sports grounds can be constructed under MGNREGA in the villages,” he added.The Minister asked the officers of Rural Development to make local Grahm Sabhas vibrant by creating awareness among them. “Gram Sabha doesn’t mean group of persons in a room. Make it more inclusive so that every citizen is part of our development process,” he said.