Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Abdul Haq, today convened a meeting to review the progress of MGNREGA works undertaken by Rural Development Department in Anantnag district.The meeting was informed that during the last fiscal, Anantnag district had an available budget of Rs 57.99 crore under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), out of which Rs 57.52 crore were expended by the end of the financial year.To cater to the demands of jobs under MGNREGA, the RDD has been able to provide jobs to 83228 job card holders including 29705 women and 61 differently-abled persons in the district. The jobs were provided to 42946 households and 915 households completed the target of 100 days during the last fiscal.Detailing the works, the Minister was briefed that the Department constructed 1120 check dams, 83 water harvesting tanks, 34853 cubic metre micro irrigation works and renovation of 19 traditional water bodies in the year 2016-17, while as under MGNREGA the Department has also carried out work on 28075 cubic metres of flood protection bunds and 104 kilometers of drainage works.Under Rural Connectivity Programme, the department has constructed 157 kilometers of road length, 274 Kms of lanes and 76 culverts in the district during the last financial year.The meeting was further told that on the directions of the Minister, the department has proposed 183 vulnerable spots where flood protection works by using Gabion structures in flood prone areas are to be executed under MGNREGA and 13th Finance Commission.
The works involve a cost of Rs 51.77 crore. Under Convergence programme, the Department has also taken up construction of 14 fisheries units at the cost of Rs 3.18 lakh, while as 5 playgrounds were also developed at the cost of Rs 13 lakh in convergence with the Department of Education. Speaking on the occasion, the Minister directed the concerned officers to ensure that all the ongoing developmental projects are executed efficiently and in a time-bound manner so that their benefits reach to the common masses.He instructed the officers to ensure proper monitoring and execution of various RDD schemes including IAY, MGNREGA, SGSY, IWDP at district levels. He stressed that tangible results should be visible on the ground.For maintaining transparency and providing information to the people about welfare schemes being executed by the Government in rural areas, Haq emphasized that the Monitoring Information System of the Department should be updated regularly.The Minister also reviewed the progress of ongoing anti-Polythene drive of RDD and stressed upon the officials to work religiously to ensure the objective of polythene-free State is realized.He was informed that the Department collected 2395 Kilograms of used polythene and seized 15.5 kgs of polythene, besides recovered Rs 5000 as fine from the violators in the district.DDC Anantnag, ADC Anantnag, Officers of the RDD and other concerned attended the meeting.