Kendrapara: Even as few days left for the financial year to end but only 9,572 projects out of sanctioned 36,845 projects in this district under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) have been completed while the remaining projects are only halfway through, a report said.
This has happened as the district administration is not laying stress on people’s employment with only 102 families out of 2, 13,591 families registered under the scheme have received employment for 100 days.
Observers claimed that the negligence on the part of public representatives and the administration is to be blamed for the appalling condition of the implementation of the scheme.
Various projects like construction of Anganwadi centres, infrastructure development in rural areas, flood control measures, water conservation, renovation of old water bodies, road construction works, seaside development, fishery, farm development , drinking water facilities and sanitation have been taken up under the MGNREGS scheme in the district.
Moreover, the fate of the projects has been pushed to uncertainty with the election commission announcing the dates of the general elections. The political parties have turned local employment into a major issue with the date of elections drawing near but the scene is quite different in reality.
The Centre-sponsored employment scheme which could have relieved the people from unemployment problem has become a farce due to its slow pace of implementation.
According to data available from the district administration, a maximum of 52 job card holder families in Rajnagar block have received 100 days of work in this current financial year. The number is only 13 in Rajkanika block and 12 in Mahakalapara block.
Social activist Banambar Sahu of Chhoti village said the Kendrapara district is placed in 26th position in terms of economic development as per financial and social infrastructure survey of the state government.
He said the district administration is making plans for the infrastructural development in the rural areas but lack of promptitude on part of the public representatives and administration has hit the successful implementation of the projects.
Another social activist Ranjan Das said that every year Rs 10,000 is sanctioned for every job card holder under the project but non-implementation of the scheme is quite unfortunate. He said if employment avenues are found near their villages then it will greatly check migration from the district.
When contacted, Pradip Kumar Parida, project director of district rural development agency said attempts are being made to expedite works under the project this year.
PNN
