Tamil Nadu - Dindigul   

“No eligible voter should be left out”

— PHOTO: G. KARTHIKEYAN.

IMPORTANT ISSUES: Panchayat presidents and government officials taking part in a special meeting in Dindigul on Friday.

DINDIGUL: Effective coordination and cooperation between representatives of local bodies and panchayat officials are must in executing all schemes, specifically verification of draft electoral roll, preparation of old age pension beneficiaries list and recharging of dry wells in the district, most essential to augment rapidly depleting groundwater sources in the district, said collector R. Vasuki.

She was presiding over special meeting on these three subjects held at the Collectorate here on Friday.

Earlier, the election office was very serious about preventing entry of bogus voters in the electoral roll. Now, it was paying top priority for inclusion of all eligible voters in the roll to enable to them to exercise their democratic right. No eligible voter in the district should be left out. Our aim is to prepare a cent per cent perfect electors’ roll, she added.

Role of panchayat presidents is to motivate persons aged 18 to fill up forms for enrolment. Village administrative officers are the designated officers for verifying draft electoral roll and identifying BPL beneficiaries.

They would do the verification work, she said.

Focussing on pathetic condition of groundwater levels, Ms. Vasuki said that water table had gone below 800 feet in several areas and 1,000 feet in certain pockets.

Already, one lakh wells were completely dried up. TWAD Board alone sunk 247 bore wells last year and plans the same number this year.

“We must give back to earth what we have taken from it.”

Recharging of dry wells scheme must be propagated effectively among farmers to augment groundwater. We have received 5,000 applications only and 350 were forwarded to NABARD for financial assistance of Rs.4,000 per well.

A model rainwater harvesting structure to recharge irrigation well would be created in each block to enable farmers to see and understand.

Special officers of primary agriculture cooperative banks, VAOs and officials from Water Resource Organisation would work cohesively to disburse financial assistance to farmers.

The Collector warned that bankers should not demand deposit amount to open a bank account under this scheme. No frills savings account must be opened. List of beneficiaries for National Indira Gandhi Old Age Pension scheme would be finalised before August 15, she said.

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