The Hindu : Karnataka News : Kolar district getting ready for job scheme

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Wednesday, Mar 05, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Kolar district getting ready for job scheme

Vishwa Kundapura

Helping them get acquainted with the scheme was the aim
‘NREGS will help alleviate poverty and prevent migration’

KOLAR: Kolar district is gearing up to implement the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme from April 1.

Earlier the scheme, a flagship project of the United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre, was implemented in 11 districts of the State.

As the role of the people’s representatives at grassroots was vital in implementing the scheme, a workshop for presidents, vice-presidents and members of the zilla, taluk and gram panchayats was organised on the zilla panchayat premises here on Monday.

Helping people’s representatives and officials concerned get acquainted with the scheme was the main objective of the workshop. There was an outcry when the undivided Kolar district was left out in the first two stages of implementation of the scheme despite the fact that it is a drought-prone region.

Several organisations staged agitations throughout the district demanding extension of the scheme to the district considering the economic backwardness of the region.

Even a delegation of the then legislators from the district went to New Delhi and submitted a memorandum to the Union Government in this regard.

Now, as the Union Government has decided to extend the scheme to all the districts of the country, the smiles are back on the faces of the rural masses here.

According to F.R. Jamadar, Chief Executive Officer of the zilla panchayat, providing jobs for a minimum of 100 days in a year to unskilled workers during the off-season is the main objective of the scheme.

Preventing migration of rural people to urban areas in search of jobs was another aim of it, he says.

Poverty alleviation

In her inaugural address at the workshop, zilla panchayat president A.C. Nagarthna hoped the scheme will contribute immensely in eradicating poverty in rural areas. She made an appeal particularly to women to avail themselves of the benefits of the scheme.

While news about the implementation of the scheme has brought cheers among the rural folk, leaders of associations, which fought to bring the scheme to the district, have struck a note of caution.

“I am eagerly awaiting the scheme to become a reality. It may be helpful for my five-member family to earn some livelihood at least for three months in a year,” said Yashodamma, a farmhand from Kembodi village. “It is definitely a relief for poverty-stricken families,” she added.

While farmers’ leader Holur Shankar stressed the need for a proper monitoring machinery to reach the benefits to the needy, Janavadi Mahila Sanghatane district president V. Geetha expresses displeasure over the minimum wage amount under the scheme.

Ms. Geetha says: “The sum of Rs. 74 fixed as minimum wage is meagre considering the price of essential commodities. The Government should increase the minimum wage.” “The scheme should not become another ‘grazing ground’ for corrupt officials as large funds are flowing from the Centre,” Mr. Shankar remarked.

Thin attendance

Though the workshop was conducted to create awareness among people’s representatives and executing authorities, the attendance was disappointing. The zilla panchayat chief executive officer, who is also the district coordinator for the scheme, did not mince words in making his displeasure known.

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