Srikakulam: Lockdown proves to be a blessing in disguise for MGNREGS works

Srikakulam: The lockdown came as blessing in disguise for the works taken up under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in the district. Till June this year, a total of 14, 062 works have been completed out of the total proposed works 80,511 and remaining 66,449 works are under various stages of progress.

These 80,511 works have been proposed in 4,360 habitations which are covered under 1,096 village panchayats across the district. In total 5,17,896 jobcards are issued to wage seekers and these jobcard holders have been formed as 45,009 Shrama Shakthi Sanghams (SSS).

Works like formation of internal roads, silt removing in water tanks, side drains, soak pits, retaining walls, planting of horticulture plant verities like mango, cashew and coconut and also avenue plantation on either side of roads have been proposed under the MGNREGS in the district.

In total 1,65,72,700 working days have been provided to the wage seekers and paid Rs 223 as a wage amount per day. An amount of Rs 369.57 crore has been paid as wages to the workers. "All the jobcard holders have been provided at least 100 working days and of them, 5,096 jobcard holders have been provided more than 100 working days," said Project Director for District Water Resources Management Agency H Kurma Rao. Stating that DWMA is the nodal agency for implementation of works under the MGNREGS at district level, he said all works were taken up strictly following all Covid precautions and restrictions in the district at field level.