HYDERABAD: Instructing the officials to remain on high alert for the next two to three months in view of the onset of summer, Panchayat Raj & Rural Development and Rural Water Supply (RWS) Minister Danasari Anasuya alias Seethakka on Wednesday stressed the need for efficient utilisation of drinking water resources to maximise coverage.
The minister was speaking during a review meeting on RWS, implementation of Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA) and MNREGS at the Secretariat.
Seethakka emphasised the need to identify leakages in water pipelines and maintain detailed, research-oriented records on the quality and condition of existing infrastructure to serve as a long-term reference. She stressed that resources must be used efficiently to maximise coverage without wastage of public funds.
The minister also instructed the officials to accord priority to effective implementation of the PESA Act in gram panchayats, noting its critical role in enabling local decision-making on forest and mining-related matters in Scheduled Areas.
Referring to concerns over the use of facial recognition for attendance under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), the minister said that she would write to the Centre seeking withdrawal of facial recognition.
On PESA Act, the minister said that the Centre is trying to bypass Gram Sabhas and noted that PESA is vital in protecting Adivasis.
She directed officials to organise training programmes for members and strengthen Gram Sabhas.