Raghuvansi asks MPs to ensure implementation of schemes

New Delhi, Feb 15 (UNI) Union Minister for Rural Development Raghuvansh Prasad Singh has stressed the need for proper vigilance and monitoring of the various schemes of the ministry by MPs to ensure transparency and accountability so that about Rs.1.14 lakh crore, likely to be released by the ministry was effectively utilised.

Addressing the Consultative Committee meeting of the ministry late last evening, Dr Singh said the amount was 47.8 per cent higher than the total outlay of Rs. 77,474 crore for all the programmes of the ministry during the tenth plan.

He highlighted the achievements under major programmes during the Tenth Plan. He said the three Departments of Rural Development, Land Resources and Drinking Water Supply of the Ministry have released more than the planned outlay. Under Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana (SGRY), 68.13 lakh number of works were completed, generating 351 crore man-days of employment. Under Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY), 14.87 lakh Self-Help Groups (SHG) have been formed and 46.46 lakh Swarojgaris have been assisted. Moreover, 67.44 lakh houses have been constructed/upgraded under Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) during the period.

About 3.01 lakh habitations and 1.97 lakh schools have been provided with safe drinking water under Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme (ARWSP) and under Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC), 165.13 lakh Individual Household Latrines for BPL families and 2.99 lakh school toilets have been constructed. Since its inception in 2001-02, 31,578 habitations have been covered and 1.07 lakh Km.

length of road work under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) have been completed.

The Minister described the launching of National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) in 200 districts (including 150 National Food For Work Programme (NFFWP) districts from February, 2006) as one of the major new initiatives during the Tenth Plan to fight unemployment and poverty in rural areas.

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