The Deputy Commissioner (DC) Pulwama, Dr. Basharat Qayoom today chaired a pivotal meeting of District officers across various departments to streamline the formulation of the Convergence Plan under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) for the financial year 2024-25.
During his address, DC highlighted the immense potential for synergy between MGNREGA and other key developmental programs administered by different departments. He emphasized the importance of maximizing benefits and improving the quantity and quality of projects while prioritizing the welfare of the district's labor force.
Dr. Basharat underscored the necessity of creating durable assets through extensive convergence with MGNREGA in the upcoming financial year. He stressed that excavation-related, labor-oriented and plantation-based initiatives will receive top priority within this convergence framework.
Additionally, he mandated that all Integrated Watershed Management Program (IWMP) projects across Pulwama district must be executed in convergence with MGNREGA to generate enduring and impactful assets.
The DC further emphasized that IWMP, in convergence with MGNREGA, has the potential to generate durable and constructive assets, asserting that no IWMP project should proceed in the district without integration with MGNREGA. Regarding forest department schemes, he stressed that 100 percent of plantation works should be carried out in convergence with MGNREGA.
Moreover, the DC outlined that no department should undertake earth excavation or earthwork independently; instead, all such activities must occur in convergence with MGNREGA to optimize resources and ensure efficient utilization of funds.
Convergence in MGNREGA entails the coordination and collaboration of various departments and programs to maximize rural development impact. It involves integrating efforts across agriculture, rural development, water resources, and infrastructure departments to address multiple dimensions of rural livelihoods and development effectively.