For the first time in history of Jammu and Kashmir, the state is all set to get a record allocation of funds under MGNREGA since the inception of this scheme in the state.The Central Government has appreciated the effective implementation and subsequent creation of durable assets under MGNREGA in the state and has expressed its keenness to provide more funds under the scheme.A 7-member team lead by Joint Secretary Union Ministry of Rural Development Aparjita Sarangi is on a 4-day visit to the state to inspect and assess the implementation of MGNREGA in the state and during their visit the team praised the efforts of the state government for the effective implementation of the scheme.After completing the tour of Jammu Division, the Joint Secretary called on Minister for Rural Development Panchayati Raj Abdul Haq Khan and had a detailed interaction with regard to the implementation of MGNREA in the state. During the meeting, she apprised the minister about the purpose of the tour and also shared her feedback and observations from her field visit to various blocks and Panchayats of the Jammu Division.
The Joint secretary appreciated the efforts of the State Rural Development in effective implementation of the MGNREGA scheme in the state and creation of durable assets in villages for the benefit of general public besides proving employment to the unskilled and unemployed youths of the rural areas.She said the centre is keen to provide more funds to the state under MGNREGA to expedite the process and enable the state to receive full grants provided the state continues to do good work on ground effectively.She said keeping in view the performance of the state, the central government has doubled the target of man days generation under the scheme from 1.19 crore to 3 crores mandays and has asked the state that if it achieved the target before time, the same can be again revised.
The Central Government has released Rs 900 crores as central share under the scheme so far. However after the visit, the central government has expressed willingness to allocate funds upto the tune of Rs 2000 crore for the current year keeping in view the performanance of the state.The central team inspected various works in Jammu, Samba Reasi and Udhampur districts during their two day tour to Jammu, The team is expected to visit Budgam, Ganderbal, Baramulla and Srinagar in Kashmir Division.While appreciating the central government for whole hearted funding under MGNREGA, Minister said despite the problems faced by the state, the department was able to successfully implement MGNREGA scheme at the grass root level. He said for the first time the department started prioritizing works under MGNREGA for its effective implementation. He said the department had prioritized rural connectivity and flood protection works in past two years and a network of roads and bridges have been constructed in rural areas that has changed its developmental scenario.
The team also lauded the leadership of the minister in leading the team for grand success in implementation of the scheme wherein the state has bagged many awards at the national level. The team also lauded the performance of the state government for early implementation of E-FMS in the state. They termed the launch of e-FMS as a revolutionary step that will ensure that the beneficiaries not to move from one office to another for payment and instead the department will directly transfer wages to their already linked bank accounts. “This step will not only ease out the whole process of disbursing payment to the beneficiaries but also remove the hurdles and makes it paperless besides eliminating delays in wage payment”.Minister for RDD Abdul Haq assured the team that the state will further improve the quality of work and said that they have taken it as a mission and assured the visiting team that his team will work religiously for effective implementation of the scheme.Later the Central team held an interactive session with ACDs, BDOs and other senior officials of the state and received the feedback from them about the implementation of MGNREGA Scheme.
The state officials apprised the visiting team about various tangible works done under MGNREGA during past few years in their respective districts and the durable assets created under MGNREGA. They said preference is being given to rural connectivity in villages and bridges, culverts and roads are being constructed under the scheme for the benefit of the people besides working for flood protection, water conservation, Soil Conversation, Land levelling or development, link roads, irrigation canals, drains, Vermi-compost, ponds drainage sewerage, Play fields, micro irrigation, renovation of traditional water bodies, Flood protection works.The team also sought suggestions from the field officers with regard to the improvement in implementation of MGNREGA schemes.The secretary along with her staff visited various districts of the Jammu division to see the works under MGNREGA. The team interacted with people and the officials and expressed satisfaction with the cost effective works done under MGNREGA.