GUNTUR : As the 2023-24 financial year (FY)approaches its end in two months, works under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) have gained momentum in Palnadu district.
The District Water Management Authority (DWMA) officials have set a target to provide 81 lakh man-days in the 2023-24 FY and have achieved 98.1% of this target by creating 79.54 lakh man-days so far.
The official data indicates that over 3.35 lakh individuals from 1.95 lakh households have been employed in the district. A total of 39 lakh works worth Rs 265.91 crore have been identified, with 12 lakh works completed as of this month. The officials express confidence in achieving the target in the next two months.
Speaking to TNIE, DWMA Project Director Joseph Kumar stated that various works including desilting of field channels, renovation of traditional water bodies, horticulture, housing, rural infrastructure, rural connectivity, and sanitation in rural areas have been undertaken under the scheme.
Explaining the plans for the next financial year, Joseph said, “We have conducted 84 gram sabhas, three meetings in each of the 28 mandals in the district to identify works for the upcoming year. Technical assistants from MGNREGS, along with secretaries from the animal husbandry, fisheries, and agriculture departments, engineering assistants, surveyors, volunteers, and field assistants, were involved in this process. Priority has been given to identifying agriculture-related works such as cultivating various fruits, promoting greenery, and implementing water conservation projects. We are expecting to create more man-days in 2024-25.”
The details of identified works and the number of workdays allotted for the next FY will be approved by the Zilla Parishad.
Subsequently, the reports will be submitted to the State government, and officials will complete estimations and prepare an action plan to execute them.