The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Centre’s job scheme: Tamil Nadu among best performing States

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Monday, Apr 28, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Centre’s job scheme: Tamil Nadu among best performing States

Tiruchi Bureau

Preliminary works begin at pilot villages for phase III

Gets under way: Work on National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme being inaugurated at Koneripalayam near Perambalur.

KARUR: Tamil Nadu is among the best performing States in implementing the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS). Thoughtful implementation has ensured that preliminary works have commenced in the pilot villages in districts being covered in phase III of the scheme, according to Director, Rural Development, Gagandeep Singh Bedi.

Speaking to The Hindu at Manmangalam in the district on Saturday, he pointed out that the expenditure under the NREGS which was just Rs. 3 crore in May 2006 has grown to Rs. 636 crores as of April 15.

The scheme, which has now been extended to cover all districts under phase III, is aimed at ensuring gainful employment to all families in rural areas. “We want perfection for which constant vigil has to be maintained,” Mr. Bedi added.

Expressing satisfaction that several public assets such as earthen roads and tanks have been created through manual labour under the scheme, Mr. Bedi pointed out that, based on experience, training has been given to the implementing officials well ahead of actual implementation in phase III districts.

He was responding to a query on complaints from labourers in certain areas that there was lack of transparency or confusion among officials regarding fixation of wages.

Mr. Bedi also observed that the State’s Rural Development Secretary has been made member of the National Employment Guarantee Council and that was a reflection of Tamil Nadu’s good showing in the scheme.

The Additional Director, Rural Development, Ranvir Prasad, observed that eight crore mandays had been generated till March 31 under the NREGS. “We lay stress on social audit to ensure enough transparency in the whole exercise,” he said.

Collector T.N. Venkatesh was present. Earlier, the officials inspected several ongoing works under the NREGS, ‘Anaithugrama Anna Marumalrchi Thittam,’ School Renovation Programme and other rural development works in the district.

Perambalur

A sum of Rs. 2.15 crore has been sanctioned for Perambalur district for implementation of NREGP, Collector Anil Meshram said.

Speaking at a function after inaugurating the scheme at Koneripalayam near here on Saturday, he said that the programme would be implemented 20 village panchayats in four panchayat unions in the first phase.

About 1,481 labourers got employment opportunities in the first phase. A little over 8,400 villagers from 20 panchayats had registered their names for jobs under the scheme.

In Koneripalayam, a drainage channel would be desilted at an expenditure of Rs. 4 lakh. The work would benefit 267 persons of 195 families, generating 5,000 mandays. District Revenue Officer P. Sankar was among those who were present.

At Vengalam near Veppanthattai, MLA M. Rajkumar inaugurated the work.

Pudukottai

In Pudukottai, the NREGP will be inaugurated on Monday. In the first phase, the work will be executed in 65 village panchayats in 13 panchayat unions.

A sum of Rs. 2.92 crore has been sanctioned for the district under the programme, according to Collector D. Uthirakkumaran.

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