MNREGA, the ambitious rural job scheme introduced by the UPA government, will continue to be implemented across the country with new Rural Development Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh today ruling out any plan to restrict it to only 200 backward districts. Talking to reporters after taking over as Minister for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water and Sanitation, Singh said that Rs 40,000 crore allocation for the rural job scheme was not for any specific region.
"In this country, there are people who had never seen a Rs 500 note. The poorest of the poor... we have been able to reach them through MNREGA," he said. He was reacting to a question on his predecessor Nitin Gadkari's plan to restrict the rural job scheme to 200 most backward districts of the country. "Rs 40,000 crore component is for the country and not for any specific region," Singh said.
He, however, acknowledged that there were some problems in implementation of the ambitious scheme and the present dispensation will "correct" them. "So far, the working of MNREGA is concerned, if there are lacunae, we will correct them," Singh said. He said, valuable suggestions have come regarding reforming the rural job scheme and all necessary steps will be taken to strike a right balance between creation of jobs and building durable assets through MNREGA. If the need arises some new works will also be added to the scheme, he said.
During his stint, Gadkari had indicated that MNREGA may be restricted only to tribal and backward districts. He had said that the MNREGA guaranteeing up to 100 days of unskilled work annually to every rural household was not required in areas having higher growth. Launched in 2005, MNREGA has been an important source of income for millions of rural households.
On the issue of impending changes in the Land Acquisition Act, Singh said efforts will be made to bring about a consensus on the issue. He further said that the government is not against industrialisation but the interests of the farmers should not be compromised at any cost. Singh also clarified that he is not in favour of acquisition of multi-crop lands.
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