Date:04/07/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/07/04/stories/2009070452160300.htm

Karnataka - Shimoga

NREGS: 1,59,493 families enrolled in Shimoga district

Special Correspondent

Target is to utilise Rs. 100 crore for implementing the scheme during 2009-10

SHIMOGA: President of Shimoga Zilla Panchayat Ashokmurthy said here on Friday that the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), which was launched in the district in 2007-08, was being implemented with all seriousness.

He told presspersons that 1,59,493 families in the district had been registered under the scheme so far. Mr. Ashokmurthy said that 2,209 works were taken up under the scheme during 2008-09, utilising Rs. 12.84 crore and generating 10,20,346 man-days of employment.

As many as 798 families have completed the maximum 100 days of employment under the scheme for a year.

He said that the Centre had accorded its approval for generating of 28.33-lakh man-days of employment under the scheme for 2009-10 by spending Rs. 35.74 crore, of which the district had utilised Rs. 3.3 crore so far during the year. He said that Shimoga district was in eighth place in the State as far as progress under the scheme was concerned and fifth place as far as generation of man-days of employment was concerned.

Mr. Ashokmurthy said that the zilla panchayat had proposed to involve all its departments, in addition to the 260 gram panchayats, for implementation of the scheme.

He said a target had been set for utilising Rs. 100 crore for implementing the scheme during 2009-10.

Efforts are on to publicise the scheme at all levels in rural areas.

Workshops

He said that workshops would be held in all taluks to highlight importance of the scheme. Taluk-level nodal officers, secretaries, presidents of gram panchayats and others concerned will participate in the workshops. He said that the first such workshop would be held at Tirthahalli on July 10.

On Congress leader and former Minister Kagodu Thimmappa’s criticism that the NREGS had failed in the district owing to “lack of interest” by Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, Mr. Ashokmurthy said it was far from truth. He sought cooperation of members of all political parties for the success of the scheme. Chief planning officer M.B. Shankarappa and chief accounts officer Srikanth were present.