Minister for Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, Ali Mohammad Sagar Wednesday called for improving the performance under various flagship programmes in district Kathua and directed the officers to speed up their efforts to achieve the targets before the close of financial year.While reviewing the progress of various flagship programmes of Central Government, including MGNREGA, IAY, NBA and BADP in district Kathua at a high-level meeting held here today, the Minister said that these programmes are aimed to improve the living conditions of poor people in the rural areas. The schemes specifically envisage providing employment and living shelters to the poorest of poor, therefore, the implementing agencies must focus on their implementation in the right spirit of these programmes, said Mr. Sagar.
MLAs hailing from district Kathua including, Mr. Jagdish Raj Spolia, Mr. Charanjeet Singh, Mr. Durga Dass and Master Lal Chand were also present in the meeting.
Stressing the need for strict observance of norms while implementing these programmes, the Minister directed the officers to ensure that benefits of these schemes percolate down to the needy. He called for execution of works under MGNREGA strictly as per the work programme and avoid creating any liability. He also stressed for disbursement of wages to the Job Card holders on regular basis.
While reviewing the Nirmal Bharat Abhyan (NBA) programe, the Minister said that department should lay special emphasis on the implementation of this scheme as Central Government is providing liberal funding to provide facilities of sanitation to the rural people. He also called for stepping up of awareness campaign to give wide publicity to this scheme so that more and more people avail benefits of flagship programme. He issued strict instructions to the officers to send timely Utilization Certificates to the Administrative Department to secure timely release of further funds from the Central Government.
Director Rural Development Department, Mr. Shafiq Ahmed Rana apprised the meeting that an amount of Rs. 6.75 crore has been spent under MGNREGA programme by generating 1.79 lakh mandays by ending October, 2013 in Kathua district. Under IAY, 140 beneficiaries have been given financial assistance for construction of their dwelling units by involving Rs. 31 lakh. Similarly, 1449 toilet units have been established with an expenditure of Rs. 86.94 lakh under NBA programme. Besides, 64 Panchayat Ghars have been constructed at an expenditure of Rs. 5.39 crore in the district.Commissioner/Secretary Rural Development, Mr. Farooq Ahmed Peer, Director Rural Sanitation, Mr. M .M. Khan, Secretary MG NREGA, Mr. P.S.Rathore and other senior officers of Rural Development Department from Kathua district were present in the meeting.