The Hindu : National : Rs. 2,020 cr. for new `food-for-work' scheme

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Oct 15, 2004

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National

Rs. 2,020 cr. for new `food-for-work' scheme

By Our Staff Correspondent

NEW DELHI, OCT. 14. The Centre has allocated Rs. 2,020 crores for the new `food-for-work' scheme cleared by the Cabinet on Wednesday. The National Food for Work Programme (NFFWP) will provide additional wage employment in the 150 districts identified for that purpose.

At a press conference here today, the Union Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram, said the States would have to pay the transportation and handling charges as well as the taxes on foodgrains.

The NFFWP will be allocation-based in terms of cash and foodgrains. It will become operational from the next financial year by which a "perspective plan" for each selected district will be ready.

Nodal officer

The Collector will be the nodal officer at the district level with the overall responsibility of planning, implementation, coordination, monitoring and supervision. Secretarial assistance will be provided by the District Rural Development Agency and the Zilla Parishad. Mr. Chidambaram said a monetary provision of Rs. 2,020 crores had been made at this stage and a perspective plan of the works to be undertaken for the five years will be got prepared by the Collector with the assistance of experts.

The scheme guarantees 100 days of employment to every able-bodied person in the rural areas and will be converted into a National Rural Employment Guarantee programme based on a National Employment Guarantee Act, promised in the common minimum programme of the UPA Government.

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