Union Joint Secretary RDD tours various Panchayats, reviews development works

JAMMU : Union Joint Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, Rohit Kumar, today conducted an exhaustive tour of various Panchayats to assess on ground status of various development works being executed in Jammu and Kashmir under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Act (MGNREGA).

Rohit Kumar was accompanied by Director Rural Development, Jammu, Kishore Singh Chib, Additional Secretary and in-charge MGNREGA, J&K, Pran Singh, Additional District Programme Coordinator, Ashok Kumar, Block Development Officers and other field functionaries of the department.

Union Joint Secretary also met locals and beneficiaries and had a detailed feedback from them regarding implementation of the scheme.

He appreciated the quality of works being executed with proper maintenance of work records and requisite files. He stressed the need of extending benefit of MGNREGA to vulnerable sections of the society including SC/ST and women. He asked the concerned for organizing awareness camps at panchayat and village level to highlight the benefits of schemes and educating them about the types of works permissible under MGNREGA.

Earlier, Union Joint Secretary held a detailed meeting, to review the progress and functioning of MGNREGA, which was attended by Directors Rural Development, Jammu and Kashmir, Additional Secretary and all ACDs of the UT.

It was informed that over 56 lakh person days have been generated so far during 2021-22, which included 26 per cent women workers. The average days of employment provided per HH is about 28 while more than 340 workers completed 100 days of wage employment and over 700 differently abled workers availed employment under MGNREGA.

The meeting was also informed that Jammu and Kashmir Social Audit Unit (JKSAU) has been set up which is fully functional since January 2021. The unit has conducted 344 Gram Sabhas and 15 block level hearings covering 43 blocks in which over 1400 issues were flagged.

Union Joint secretary directed the officers to cover minimum 65 per cent NRM works and 60 per cent Agri-related projects as envisaged in the scheme.

Pertinently, there are 261 permissible activities under the scheme.