Bhatha Kuffar, Shimla: Himachal CM, Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal, today launched the National Rural Employment Guarantee Assurance Scheme (NREGA) in remaining eight districts of the State from gram panchayat Chamiana in Mashobra developmental block of district Shimla today.
CM informed that state would consider making adequate provisions of legislation to hold direct elections to the office bearers of Zila Parishad, Panchayat Samiti, Gram Panchayat and Urban Local Bodies with a view to provide stability to the grass level units of democracy.
Dhumal said informed that the Government had decided to appoint 1,181 Gram Rojgar Prerak under the NREGA to create awareness amongst the people about the benefits of the schem.
Each Gram Rojgar Prerak would look after three gram panchayats of the area thereby covering all 3,243 gram panchayats of the State.
Service fee to Takniki Sahayaks had also been fixed at 2 percent for works upto Rs. 50,000 and 1.5 percent for projects valued between Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 1.5 lakh.
NREGA was launched in districts of Chamba and Sirmaur of the State initially later two districts of Kangra and Mandi were added to the list which had now been extended to the entire State by covering all the 12 districts for implementation of the scheme.
15 villages crave for irrigation facilities
Our Correspondent
Kangra, February 1
Farmers of 15 villages of the district have been moving from pillar to post for more than eight years for getting irrigation facilities for 1,220 hectares of land.
Satish Kumar Sharma, a resident of Ladoh village, said the land in Parnoh, Ladoh, lower Ladoh, Panchrukhi, Saliana, Banurie, Tatial, Mewa Brigade and other villages had practically gone barren because of the government apathy.
Farmers in these villages depended on rain for irrigation and had to face hardship when there was no rain. On the other hand, water flowing in rivers and nullahs went waste as there had been no effort by the government to create water-storage facilities in the area.
Farmers said the “kuhal” in the area was in a dilapidated condition. Had it been repaired, it would have been of immense help.
Farmers had approached ministers in the Virbhadra government from time to time but to no avail.
Sharma said it was in 2006 following the taking over of the kuhal that a Rs 40.21-lakh plan was prepared by the department and the DPR submitted to the principal adviser-cum-secretary (planning) vide letter dated June 19, 2006, but no approval was accorded. Following a news report in ‘ The Tribune’ last year the authorities prepared a revised Rs 129.13-lakh plan and submitted the DPR again in early 2007 but no approval was granted.
Sharma said the farmers were now pinning hopes on Chief Minister P.K.Dhumal to come to their rescue.