Sudesh Mahto: Striving hard

Ranchi, April 7: Rural development minister Sudesh Kumar Mahto is trying hard to make the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Scheme (MGNREGS) productive instead of merely treating it as an employment generation programme for the rural poor.

During the recently concluded budget session of the state Assembly, legislators cutting across party lines had argued that MGNREGS work in Jharkhand were wastage of national resources because of faulty selection of schemes.

They said that ponds and wells dug under the scheme remained dry throughout the year while the roads were of little use.

Many among them had also proposed that the Centre be requested to relax MGNREGS rules in the state. But, Mahto, also the deputy chief minister, is rather doubtful whether the Centre would accept his request to amend MGNREGS rules. Hence, he expects the gram sabhas to exercise wisdom while selecting sites for water harvesting schemes. He wants them to propose digging of ponds or construction of check dams at such places where rain water could be stored.

“The basic spirit of this law is to provide minimum 100-day work to BPL families. As per rules, only limited number of schemes for water harvesting, levelling of grounds, plantation et al can be taken up. Our effort is to see that these schemes also boost to rural economy. For this, we are taking necessary steps,” he told The Telegraph.

Contradicting the other deputy chief minister, Raghubar Das’s previous claims that all departments had been asked to prepare a three-month roadmap, Mahto said things would proceed in their usual pace to achieve the target on time.

He also denied having received any “special direction” from the chief minister.

Today, Mahto held a meeting with senior officials to make the toll free helpline fully functional in remote areas. It was also decided to appoint appellate authorities at the district level, who will make necessary recommendations to the government after hearing the cases.