Telangana Government releases Rs 307 crores for NREGS

Hyderabad: The State government has released Rs 307 crores for the MGNREGS to meet the expenses of the programme.

The state government has earmarked about Rs 600 crore for the scheme in this financial year. It has released Rs 307 crore out of it in relaxation of quarterly regulations.

The Commissioner of Rural Development has been instructed to use the amount for the scheme. The amount would be used to make payments to the workers employed under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme(MGNREGS).

The State government has begun the NREGS works though the lockdown is in place. The activities have been taken in the districts where there are zero coronavirus cases.

The works have been commenced in spite of lockdown to help the unemployed in the rural areas so that they can earn some money to meet their expenses.

The government has also increased the amount from Rs 210 to Rs 237 per day as Government of India has revised the wages to help the workers who registered under NREGS. In addition, about Rs 20 per day would be paid to the workers as summer incentive.

The increased wages would be given from April 1 of this year. The government has also decided to make payments for the scheme every week. In the past the amounts have been paid with delay of a month or two.

The Union government has given strict instructions to take up NREGS works as per the guidelines being issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

The works should be allowed with strict implementation of social distancing and wearing of face masks and protective face covers.

Priority should be given under MGNREGS to irrigation and water conservation works such as construction of feeder canals, distributor canals, minor canal, sub-minor canal, water courses, check dams, open wells, gully-plugs, farm ponds, mini percolation tanks, recharge pits, water absorption trench etc. Other Central and State sector schemes in irrigation and water conservation sectors may also be allowed to be implemented with MGNREGS works.

On the other hand the state government has entrusted the responsibilities of the field assistants to the seniors mates of NREG groups of the Gram Panchayats.

The field assistants have been suspended from services as they went on strike in March this year. The Gram Panchayat secretaries have been told to oversee the works with the help of senior mates till alternative arrangements are made.