Nizamabad: Mission Antyodaya hits a roadblock

Nizamabad/Kamareddy: The Mission Antyodaya scheme, which was introduced by the Central government in 2017 with the objective of eradicating poverty by developing all backward villages, has now been limited to organic vegetable cultivation, thanks to the minimal funds allotted by the government.

In the erstwhile Nizamabad district, 138 villages were selected under the scheme two years ago, and since then no progress has been reported.

Under the scheme, the Centre has to provide funds under the employment guarantee scheme, recommendations of the 14th Finance Committee, Swachh Bharat, Integrated Child Development Service, per capita grant, Rajiv Gandhi Authentication Scheme and Skill India. In addition to Antyodaya grant, the general fund provided by the gram panchayat will also provide an opportunity for taking up development works in the villages.

No funds so far

However, had the Centre and State allocated funds, the face of the villages would have been changed by now. As part of the scheme, District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) has taken steps to improve the economic conditions of the poor in the selected villages.

It has been two years since the proposals from Nizamabad and Kamareddy districts have been forwarded to the government seeking funds for infrastructure development. However, no funds have been released by the Centre so far. Even, the Parliament has put the issue on a backburner.

It can be recalled here that nearly 65 villages have been selected for the scheme in the Kamareddy district. And as part of the scheme, the farmers in the selected villages are encouraged to take out vegetable cultivation in an organic manner, where the DRDA will provide loans through Community Investment Fund (CIF). Further, the CIF will also provide seeds and quality fertilisers to the farmers.

Many works remain a non-starter

Further under the scheme, the government has proposed to take up several works to uplift the lives and livelihoods of people living in the selected villages. As part of it, the Centre has proposed to provide internet facilities, laying of roads from villages to district and mandal headquarters, extending Aadhaar registration and central government schemes to all, construction of watersheds and soak pits to conserve water, providing job cards, extending loans to farmers and self-help groups and also construction of Individual Household Toilets.

However, except training the women farmers in cultivation of organic vegetables under "Nutri Gramam", all other above listed works remain a non-starter. Under the Nutri Gramam, the Society for Elimination of Poverty Elimination has conducted a two-day training programme to Village Organising Assistants and Community Coordinators of the selected gram panchayats at the regional centres in several batches for effective implementation of Nutri Gramam. Several programmes on the preparation of organic fertilisers were held in the selected villages recently at Nizamabad district headquarters. They will soon visit the villages and educate the farmers and prepare them for taking up the organic cultivation.