Pb to release Rs 250 crore for rural development

Punjab government today said it has decided in principle to release Rs 250 crore of outstanding payments under various rural development schemes.
It was disclosed by the Rural Development & Panchayat Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa after a meeting in this regard with Anirudh Tiwari, Principal Secretary, Finance, and other senior officials of the Rural Development department, said an official release.
Bajwa said besides the discussion on outstanding payments, other key issues which were discussed in the meeting included the furnishing of budgetary proposals under various rural development schemes.
He said the Principle Secretary Finance has assured to release the pending grant Rs 82.36 crore under MNREGA scheme, Rs 100 crore under Prdhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Rs 19.75 crore under Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission and Rs 52.74 crore IBWS scheme.

Bajwa also issued strict directions to the senior officials of the rural development department to utilise the grants with utmost transparency as per set guidelines.
He said the quality parameters must be strictly adhered to while executing the development work and no compromise in this regard would be tolerated.

At the same time laxity would not be tolerated while utlising these grants, he said adding that anyone found guilty of misappropriation of funds would be severely dealt with.
He directed senior officers of the rural development to personally monitor ongoing development works at the village level.
"The concerned officers at all ends would be accountable for the development works," added Bajwa.