MP spends 88% funds under job scheme

Bhopal, Jun 14 (UNI) The Madhya Pradesh government has spent 88 per cent funds available under the national rural employment guarantee scheme (NREG) in 2007-08, completing 1.32 lakh works with employment to over 43 lakh families.

Of the total Rs 3,277 crore available under the scheme, Rs 2,892 crore were spent last year generating employment for 27.53 crore mandays, official sources said here today.

Of the total 43,47,079 families seeking employment under the scheme, all but 163 families were provided work. Total completed works account for 1,32,845.

''Madhya Pradesh stood first in receiving and spending funds, completion of works, provision of jobs to families, issuing job cards, generating employment and providing work to women and scheduled castes'', the sources said.

Till March this year, the scheme covered 212 block and 15,246 Gram panchayats in 31 districts. The scheme was extended in all 48 districts from April one this year.

Stress was laid on construction of permanent assets like works for roads, flood control, drought relief, irrigation and renovation of traditional water structures.

''Besides guaranteeing employment to several lakh people, the scheme led to augmentation and conservation of water, construction of rural roads besides unprecedented socio-economic improvement in villages'', Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Rustam Singh said.

UNI SG DG RAI1339