The Orissa government on Saturday announced the launching of a pilot project under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to provide at least 150 days of work to poor people in the state.
In the first phase, the project would be implemented in Bolangir and Nuapada districts which report highest number of migration of poor people to other states to work in hazardous sectors.
The CM announced launching of the pilot project after reviewing the performance of Orissa State Employment Mission Society at the secretariat here. If successfully implemented, the project would subsequently be extended to other backward districts.
Under the MGNREGA, job-card holders are entitled to get 100 days of work in their neighbourhood. The additional 50 days of work would expectedly encourage them to stay back at their village instead of migrating with family members to work in brick kilns, textile and chemical factories in other states, claimed a senior government official. It was decided in the meeting that the state government would spend `2,000 crore in the 2013-14 fiscal under the MGNREGS, creating nine crore workdays.
The works which will be undertaken under the MGNREGA include water-shed projects, afforestation, construction of check-dams and Rajiv Gandhi Seva Kendra and farm ponds.
It was also decided in the meeting to celebrate Wednesday as Rajgar Divas.
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PANEL TO look into PROBLEMS OF OFFICIALS
age correspondent
Lucknow, Jan. 19
The UP IAS Association will set up a five-member standing committee to address issues being faced by junior officers in field postings. A decision to this effect was taken at the annual general meeting of the UP IAS Association, held here on Saturday after a gap of almost six years.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, association secretary Parthsarthi Sen Sharma said that the standing committee would assess the complaints received form officers on field duties and then decided whether the association should take up the matter or not.