While Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh is busy finetuning strategy for Naxal-affected districts and fixing gaps in the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), one of his junior minister has rued the fact that the north-eastern region is crying for his attention.
Speaking to this newspaper, Union minister of state for rural development and young NCP leader Agatha Sangma rued the fact that her ministry “is yet to act upon the assurance given earlier to the north-eastern region on relaxation of norms for implementation of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY)”.
Ms Sangma said that she had organised a meeting of the rural development ministers of the north-eastern states in Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh early 2010, which was attended by the then minister of rural development Vilasrao Deshmukh.
“It was brought to the notice of the Union minister of particular demography of the north-eastern states where most habitations have less than 250 people, which make them to miss out of getting rural roads under PMGSY. Mr Deshmukh had assured that the ministry would consider relaxing norms to ensure that the north-eastern states benefit from the PMGSY,” said Ms Sangma, who added that till date the assurance has not been followed upon by her ministry. Though Mr Ramesh has completed over 100 days after taking charge from Mr Deshmukh, it appears that he has largely been preoccupied for fine-tuning implementation of the NREGS and preparing strategy for Naxal-affected districts. “Funds for new projects are invariably held up for want of completion certificates of earlier projects which get delayed due to long rainy seasons,” added Ms Sangma.
The young minister from the NCP also rued the fact that the district vigilance committee headed by MPs of the area is hardly making any impact for the reason that their recommendations most often are not acted upon. She even cited the instance of her father and NCP leader P. Sangma on whose recommendations a couple of local officials were first removed but later on they were brought back to the same positions.
ENDS