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The Udupi district, which is at the bottom of the ladder in effective implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), is embarking on new initiatives to improve its ranking.

(File Pic.)

As per the official version, the most literate district lacks enthusiasm to make use of the available benefits. The programme ensures Rs 204 per person as daily wage and guarantees 100 days of employment, which would be seasonal. A labourer in the district fetches around Rs 350 to Rs 400 per day if he is engaged for other work. As MGNREGS only provides employment for 100 days, preferably the farmers and labourers depend on other job opportunities, which would ensure them all-season employment.

Zilla Panchayat Deputy Secretary A Srinivas Rao told Deccan Herald that the farmers in the region have not realised the benefits of the job scheme. The farmers can also take up land dwelling, cattle shed construction, digging wells and other irrigation works, groundwater recharge works, farm pond construction, wherein the farmers can work for their land and also get paid. The zilla panchayat is making an effort to create awareness among farmers and labourers and convince them to make use of the scheme.

Rao added that nearly Rs one crore has already been under the scheme in the district in the current fiscal year. As there is a huge demand for footbridges in the remote areas and Maoist-infested areas of the district. The government has given its approval for construction of footbridges following a proposal from the Zilla Panchayat. He said that it was being planned to merge the scheme with those under the 14th Finance Commission so that funds would be released directly released to respective gram panchayats.

The huge amount of funds released under 14th Finance Commission would help the panchayat bodies to spend additional money and get the work done. He said under the initiative, the funds can be used to take up works like construction of bridges in the heavy rainfall area, besides borewell recharge works and also the construction of water bodies to increase the groundwater. The funds of the Commission are used mainly for permanent asset creation, he added.

The measure would help in providing basic infrastructure in villages and simultaneously ensure effective implementation of the job guarantee scheme.