Meghalaya govt. to issue job cards on Independence Day

Shillong, Jul 31 (UNI) The ruling Congress led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance today decided to issue the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) job cards to beneficiaries during this year's Independence Day celebration.

The government took this decision in its cabinet meeting today to issue job cards in the two districts of West and South Garo Hills.

Briefing reporters, state minister in-charge Urban Affairs Paul Lyngdoh said the beneficiaries would get their job cards by September 15 next.

There has been a considerable delay in the scheme's implementation in Meghalaya. One of the hurdles faced by the government was the absence of a Panchayati Raj system as Meghalaya is a 6th scheduled state.

NERGS is implemented through the Panchayats or Gram Sabhas all across the country barring 6th scheduled states.

Mr Lyngdoh, who is also MDA government spokesperson, said after a series of considerable brainstorming, the government decided to form the Village Employment Council (VEC) comprising all traditional institutions heads.

The VEC, which would be headed by the Village Chief, would formulate and identify developmental schemes for the village. The schemes would be forwarded to the Area Employment Council (AEC) comprising 20 members elected from the VEC.

Out of the 20 AEC members one would be a women representative the other would be the village headman, Lyngdoh added.

Subsequently, the schemes would be forwarded to the Block Development Officer (BDO), which would finally be forwarded to the District Rural Development Officer (DRDO) at the district level for the seal of approval.

NERGS provides for enhancing the livelihood security of rural masses by guaranteeing 100 days of employment in a financial year to every rural household.

The State government would pay unemployment allowance in cash if employment cannot be given within 15 days of application for work. As per the NERG Act 2006, 1/3rd of the beneficiaries would be women.

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