TN sanctions Rs 12.24 cr for Tiruchirappali

Tiruchirapalli, Sep 15: The Tamil Nadu Government has sanctioned Rs 12.24 crore for this district under the Rural Infrastructure Scheme in addition to Rs 27.56 crore for the Highways Department in the district for developing 18 roads under the Bharat Nirman Scheme, official sources said.

The government has introduced the Rural Infrastructure Scheme this year in the wake of the extension of the National Rural Employment Guarantee to all districts and the discontinuation of the Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana (SGRY).

The discontinuation of the SGRY has deprived district panchayats and panchayat unions funds for infrastructure development. While village panchayats were getting 50 per cent of the allocation under the SGRY, panchayat unions got 30 per cent and district panchayats were earmarked 20 per cent. The new scheme would compensate for the discontinuation of the SGRY, the sources added.

The government has decided to allot funds for the Rural Infrastructure Scheme from the State Finance Commission grants in the ratio of 67:22:11 for village panchayats, panchayat unions and district panchayats.

Road laying works, street lights, construction of threshing floors, anganwaids and noon meal centres would be among the works to be taken under the scheme.

During the current year, over 1,020 works would be taken up under the scheme in the district this year.

Of them, 678 works have been sanctioned for village panchayats at an estimated cost of Rs 6.78 crore and 254 works for panchayat unions at a cost of Rs 3.65 crore.

The remaining Rs.1.80 crore would be spent on 89 works by the district panchayat, the sourcs added.

UNI