Minister for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Law and Justice, Abdul Haq today said the schemes and flagship programmes of the department are aimed at ameliorating socio-economic status of the rural areas.“The schemes in Rural Development sector are aimed at ameliorating the socio-economic status of the people of the rural areas by guaranteeing employment to the unemployed youth besides creating assets in villages,” the Minister said while reviewing the functioning of the department in district Anantnag.He said effective implementation of these schemes will ensure that the socio-economic status of the people living in the rural areas is brought at par with the urban areas by providing every possible facility to them at their doorstep. He said directions have already been passed to the field functionaries of the Rural Development Department for creation of durable assets in the villages and shunning the previous practice of taking up works on political considerations.
The Minister said that the department has stressed on convergence with other departments for undertaking developmental activities to maximize the developmental output by pooling resources.Earlier while reviewing the developmental activity, the Minister was informed that 95 percent fiscal budget has been spent till date in the district under MGNREGA. It was stated that under MGNREGA the available budget was Rs 32.83 crore out of which Rs 31.14 crore have been spend till date.Under the scheme, the department has been able to provide job to 6055 households by generating 164982 man-days and 79526 job cards have been issued so far.Abdul Haq was informed that 5271 works have been taken up for execution under MGNREGA at the cost of Rs 67.56 crore and till date 690 works have been completed.
The meeting was informed that for flood protection works, 13 vulnerable spots were approved in district Anantnag at a cost of Rs 4.47 crore in convergence with 13th FC which covers about 4457 metres along the river Jhelum and other streams out of which 2037 metres have been completed and an amount of Rs 1.72 crore spent so far.Abdul Haq was further informed that 14 fisheries units have also been taken up under convergence out of which 5 units have been completed so far and an amount of Rs 7.49 lakhs is being provided by the department from MGNREGA as labour component.Officials further informed the meeting that Anganwadi centers will also be given facelift in convergence with MGNREGA and 92 centers have been identified for face-lifting at a cost of Rs 42.72 lakhs while work has been completed on 21 Anganwadi centers so far.
The department has also taken up construction of 77 playfields for various schools under convergence for which the department will pay labour component of Rs 15.12 lacs while the department of education will pay Rs 7.83 as its share.Under IAY Special package for Flood victims an amount of Rs 1.90 crore have been made available for the district out of which Rs 36.59 lacs have been disbursed in favour of 123 flood hit IAY units.After the meeting, the Minister also inspected various developmental works under execution in the district including conference hall being constructed in the premises of Dak Bungalow Anantnag besides various flood protection works and asset creation by MGNREGA at Bijbehara.The meeting was attended by MLA Kokernag Abdul Rahim Rather, Vice Chairman Gujjar Bakerwal Advisory Board, Choudhary Zafar and DC Anantnag Syed Abid Hussain Shah besides other officers.