Sonia, PM to address DCC chiefs convention on job scheme

New Delhi, May 25 (UNI) Congress President Sonia Gandhi will tomorrow inaugurate the day-long AICC Convention of District Congress Committee (DCC) Presidents here to review the progress of the UPA's flagship programme -- the National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will address the convention after the inaugural address by Ms Gandhi, according to party sources.

The NREG scheme under the Ministry of Rural Development was launched on February 2, 2006 from Anantpur in Andhra Pradesh by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in the presence of Ms Gandhi and was to be initially implemented in 200 most backward districts of the country. It was to be extended to all the other districts of the country subsequently.

The scheme is intended to provide 100 days guaranteed employment to the youths of each household in rural areas at the rate of minimum daily wages. The scheme also provides for payment of unemployment allowance in the event of 100 days employment not being given.

The convention -- first of its kind -- will be attended by about 600 delegates from all over the country, who include DCC chiefs of 200 districts, Chief Ministers of the Congress-ruled states implementing the scheme,Ministers in charge of the scheme, PCC Presidents and CLP leaders of the states concerned.

Besides, General Secretaries in charge of the scheme, Zila Pramukhs of the Zila Parishads, chiefs of frontal organisations at the national and States levels and all the AICC office bearers will also be attending the convention, the sources said.

According to AICC Treasurer Motilal Vora, the delegates will be asked to furnish information on how many people, male and female, have been provided jobs under the scheme, the type of work being provided, the number of people registered for the job and the number of people given job cards.

In view of complaints that the BJP-ruled states were paying less than the prescribed daily wages, they will also be asked to ascertain the rate of wages being paid to the beneficiaries and the number of people given unemployment allowance in the absence of jobs.

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