NREGS to be extended to other districts of HP

Shimla, Nov 5 (UNI) The Himachal Pradesh government has urged the Centre to extend the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) to three districts of Kangra, Shimla and Mandi after its roaring success in Sirmaur and Chamba districts of the state, official sources said.

The scheme, which promises to provide at least 100 days of employment to below poverty line (BPL) families, was launched in these districts early this year.

The sources said barring a few complaints related to selection of families and delay in payments, the locals were coming forward to get employment under the scheme.

The development schemes carried out in the state were also proving beneficial and were egging on the state government to continue effective implementation of the scheme in the districts, the sources said yesterday.

They said a close study of the works being done under the scheme in Sirmaur district revealed that it was providing connectivity to the families living in the most inaccessible areas.

Nearly 2,000 people in Poka village of the district now have a mule path built in 42 days for them under the scheme, at an estimated cost of Rs 60,000 only, they said.

The villagers in the absence of the path had to climb 75 degree high mountain cliff for work at the limestone yard at Sataun, the sources said, adding that the mule path was also a stepping stone for the motorable road to the village in future.

Several other development works being executed in the district were proving to be beneficial to the people besides providing them guaranteed employment for at least 100 days.

The sources said of the Rs 9.95 crore received by the district under the scheme, it had already spent Rs 1.10 crore till June.

Poanta Block Development Officer (BDO) Vivek Sharma has prepared a computerised presentation of all the works executed or being executed.

The next step would be to undertake micro planning of the works, he told UNI from Poanta over telephone.

According to Local MLA Harsh Vardhan Chauhan, the scheme was doing exception work in the district.

Besides providing employment opportunities to the local people close to their homes, it was also creating infrastructure in the region for the development in the times to come, he added.

UNI AS SBA VP0430