TIRUCHY: Municipal Administration Minister K N Nehru launched the State government's urban employment scheme at K Abishekapuram zone in Tiruchy Corporation on Tuesday.
The scheme is aimed at providing jobs to unemployed urban residents on the lines of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, which provides jobs to rural people.
Chief Minister M K Stalin announced the scheme a few months ago, at a cost of Rs 100 crore. The scheme is currently being implemented in two zones of Chennai Corporation, one zone in every other Corporation, 7 municipalities and 37 town panchayats. Nehru said the scheme would be extended based on availability of funds.Wages under the urban job scheme is Rs 363, which is higher than that under the rural job scheme. In K Abishekapuram zone, as many as 5,630 beneficiaries were given job cards under the new scheme. As per guidelines, 50 per cent of the beneficiaries should be women.
Setting up of rainwater harvesting facility on roadside, cleaning stormwater drains, planting saplings on roadside, clearing bushes, maintaining parks, activities at micro compost yards and similar works can be carried out. The works should be suggested by a stakeholders group at every ward.
Tiruchy Corporation mayor Mu Anbalagan, Commissioner PMN Mujibur Rahuman and other officials organised the event at 8th ward on Kuzhumani Road. Collector S Sivarasu urged the people to make use of the scheme. Nehru told reporters, "Unlike other States, 63 per cent of Tamil Nadu population is in urban areas. Hence, the State government is bringing in urban-centered schemes like this."
To another question, he said "The State government is taking steps to get the union ministry's approval to extend the Jal Jeevan Mission in order to cover more households in urban areas."