Dehradun: In the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGA) of the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, leaving behind other states of the country, Uttarakhand has joined the category of the leading states. For the year 2017-18, Uttarakhand has been selected for the award in five categories from different categories of the national award announced under MNREGA scheme. Despite shortage of staff, recurrence of disasters and not that smooth telecommunication system, this performance is commendable. Notably, MNREGA scheme is based on 100 per cent computerized system and within 15 days the work as well as wages have to be given to the labour otherwise the unemployment allowance and delayed payment compensation has to be provided. Despite geographical and technical difficulties, Uttarakhand has cleared the payment of wages within 15 days, leaving behind the non-hilly states and has been ranked second position in the country. Uttarakhand has got second place in the country in fulfilling the works which were started under the scheme. To bring transparency in the work and to prevent duplication, District Champawat has got second place in the GEO MNREGA category of award for performing well in Geo Tagging of every work. For the efficient implementation, gram panchayat Sanj of development block Chakrata in Dehradun and doing commendable work regarding the payment of wages through the post office accounts, Gabbar Singh, Rural Postal Service, Jhinjoni, distrcit Chamoli has been given prizes.
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Rural) is an ambitious scheme of the Prime Minister, in which the homeless rural families, after transparent selection process, are provided a grant of Rs 1.3 lakh for construction of house and 95 human days from MNREGA are permissible. In Himalayan and North Eastern States, Uttarakhand has received 4 national awards in implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. In this, under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, along with MNGRGA and other schemes, for effective convergence of Awas Yojana, the state got the first prize. State got the second ranking in the category of the most completed houses against the target and third place for entire implementation. Similarly, in the district category, Rudraprayag has got the first position in the entire implementation of the scheme. The award distribution ceremony will be held on September 11, 2018 in New Delhi.
In spite of the difficult circumstances, in the above two schemes, the contribution of the Rural Development Officer, Block Development Officer, Project Director, District Development Officer and the Chief Development Officers of Districts and District Magistrates have contributed in efficient implementation but at the same time at the state level, Principal Secretary Manisha Panwar, Secretary Pankaj Kumar Pandey, Additional Secretary Ram Bilas Yadav played a significant role in extending guidance and for the continuous observation, who made special efforts for the implementation of the Prime Minister schemes and Rural Development Department, under the leadership of Chief Minister Mr. Trivendra Singh Rawat, who is also the Minister for Rural Development. As a result of the reforms and continuous efforts made in the order of the instructions given by the Chief Minister from time to time, Uttarakhand state has been successful in performing excellent on the national level.
