Over 22 million registered under NREGS: Raghuvansh Prasad

New Delhi, Mar 17 (UNI) Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh today assured the Lok Sabha that money would not come in the way of implementing the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), and said more than 22 million people in 181 districts of 17 states have registered themselves under the scheme till now.

Replying to the discussion on the Demands for Grants under the Ministry of Rural Development, he said more than Rs 3,630 crore had been sanctioned till March 31 this year for the scheme introduced on February 2.

He said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and the Planning Commission had assured him that money would not be a constraint in implementing the scheme.

On rural roads, the Minister said 85,641 km of roads had been built and more than 24,000 villages connected under the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Rojgar Yojna.

Pointing out that road maintenance would be a priority, he said the states would be urged to include road maintenance in their plans.

The House later passed by a voice vote the Demand for Grants under the control of the Rural Development Ministry for 2006-07.

EDS: Here pick up suitably from earlier series.

UNI YJ RL GC1908