The Committee on Estimates of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly today directed the authorities of Rural Development Department and Panchayati Raj to take necessary steps to provide mandatory 100-day employment for job card holders under MGNREGA. The directions were issued during a meeting of the Committee held under the Chairmanship of MLA, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari here today to review the overall functioning of Rural Development Department and Panchayati Raj system. Legislators, Ghulam Mohammad Saroori, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, Abdul Rashid Dar, Abdul Majid Paddar, Mushtaq Ahmad Shah, Sheikh Ishfaq Ahmad, Jeevan Lal and Daleep Parihar attended the meeting and gave their suggestions to improve the working of the Department.The Committee asked the concerned authorities to redouble their efforts and ensure proper implementation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes including Indira Awas Yojana (IAY).The Committee observed that eligible people are facing many difficulties in getting the benefits of IAY. The Department was asked to give special attention to redress this problem so that the genuine cases are not left out.
The Committee stressed upon the concerned authorities of the department to submit monthly report to the government about the progress of ongoing and completed works. This will help in enforcing transparency in the department, they added. Threadbare discussion was also held on the issues including proper implementation of Swachh Bharat Mission and 14th financial commission, construction of Water Sheds and Panchayat Ghars and strengthening of Panchayati Raj System in the rural areas of the state. The committee sought relevant details on the issues including completed and ongoing works being carried out by the Department. The Committee also asked the higher authorities of Rural Development Department to take up the matter of enhancing the wages for job card holders who get employment under MGNREGA. It also asked the concerned to provide new job cards to youth so that they get benefits under the scheme. Secretary Rural Development Department, Kifayat Hussain Rizvi briefed the committee about the overall functioning of the Department besides developmental activities being carried by the Department and its physical and financial achievements. Among others, Director Rural Development, Kashmir, Gazanfer Ali, Director Rural Development, Jammu, Pardeep Kumar, Director Rural Sanitation, M. R. Gagi, senior concerned officers of RDD and Assembly Secretariat were also present in the meeting.