VIJAYAWADA: Deputy Chief Minister (Panchayat Raj and Rural Development) K Pawan Kalyan on Tuesday said ‘Palle Panduga - Panchayati Varotsavalu’ will be held from October 14 to 20 and directed officials of the Panchayat Raj Department and the District Collectors to ensure the success of the programme.
Holding a video conference with the District Collectors and other officials, Pawan Kalyan said the primary objective of MGNREGA is to provide work for a minimum of 100 days in villages and through these efforts to create assets for better livelihood opportunities. “It is time to ensure that the objective of the programme is fulfilled,” he said and elaborated on salient features of NREGA.
The Deputy Chief Minister said during the one week from October 14, ensuring transparency and accountability, a ground-breaking programme on a large scale will be taken up for the works sanctioned under MGNREGA “MLAs, village secretaries and line department staff will participate in the programme,” he said.
On the occasion, he recalled that on August 23, gram sabhas were held simultaneously in 13,326 villages in the State, which had created a world record. “It was made possible with our cooperation and I thank all of you. Our department has cleared the pending wages of Rs 2,081 crore under MGNREGA, which were due from May 20,” he explained.
Pawan Kalyan said the gram sabhas have resolved for 9 crore man-hours under MGNREGA and Rs 4,500 crore worth of works. “In the first 100 days, our government provided 466.13 lakh work days, and 1.07 lakh families were provided 100 days of work. Saplings were planted in 46,745 acres,” he said.
Officials were asked to create awareness among the people about the resolutions made in gram sabhas, works sanctioned, and how those works will benefit them. “Works sanctioned have to be displayed in every panchayat in the form of Citizen Knowledge Board,” he instructed.
Stating that for 2024-25, a total of 25.50 crore work days were granted, he elaborated on the action plan evolved and said priority is being given to the construction of farm ponds and Gokulams. A total of 11,512 farm ponds and 1,900 Gokulams will be constructed as part of MGNREGA in the current fiscal, he explained.