CM to launch rural employment scheme

Panaji, Sep 23 (UNI) The Goa Government today announced plans to launch the Goa Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (GREGS), guaranteeing employment to all adult persons in every household for no less than 100 days in every financial year.

Goa Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane will launch the scheme, which also has a provision for the payment of an unemployment allowance, on Monday, September 25.

The Goa Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme 2006 has been tailored on the pattern of the historic National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme prepared and implemented in 200 districts by the Central Government.

The national scheme was a fulfillment of a solemn promise made by the UPA in it's National Common Minimum Programme.

The Goa scheme, which has been initiated by Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane and supported by Rural Development Minister Subhash A Shirodakr, is specific in the sense that even semi- skilled and able bodied persons would be considered alongwith unskilled persons for a minimum of 100 days employment in any given financial year.

The various tasks that will be undertaken in the Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme are water conservation, rain water harvesting, cleaning of road side drains, plantation , plastic collection from villages and provision of irrigation and drinking water facilities to land owned by households belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

The scheme will also include renovation of traditional water bodies including desilting of tanks, ponds, lakes and drinking water bodies including irrigation wells, land development, providing playgrounds and parks for children etc.

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