IMPHAL, July 25 : At least 4,18,613 households were given employment under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MGNREG) Act scheme which is popularly known as NREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) scheme in Manipur.
NREGA scheme was implemented here with funding pattern on sharing basis between Central and State Government at the ratio of 90:10 to enhance livelihood security in rural areas by providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
Since its introduction across the State in 2008, certain development works including 2,532 road connectivity works, 1119 drought proofing works, 1376 water conservation and harvesting works, 1035 landdevelopment works, 839 mirco-irrigation works besides 154 flood control works and 363 renovation of traditional water body or ‘pukhuri’ works have been completed.
Around 518 other works approved by the department were also completed during the said period, official sources said.
In order to complete the work load, a sum of Rs 43,570 lakh has been spent till the end of March this year. According to the annual report of RuralDevelopment and Panchayati Raj department, a total of 4,18,613 households were given employment since it’s actual introduction in the State’s remaining districts three years back.
With 76,859 job cards, Senapati district tops the chart in providing employment to households while Tamenglong has 24,618 households.
The Deputy Commissioner and District Programme Co-ordinator of NREGA Nidhi Kesarwani of Senapati district was awarded the prestigious ‘Excellence Award forMahatma Gandhi NREGA 2008-09’ in February this year. Senapati district and 24 other districts were chosen for their unique performances from 618 districts of the country for the Excellence Award by a Central Expert Committee.
On July 23, the ongoing State Budget session passed a total of Rs 36,62,19,000 as demands for Grants for Rural Development and for the current financial year 2010-11 after a discussion attended by members from Ruling and Opposition benches.
Assam Tribune
