Jairam Ramesh hikes aid under MNREGA

Says budgetary provisions for hill state would be almost doubled to Rs 700 cr from Rs 450 cr under MNREGA

Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh has substantially raised financial aid for the floods-ravaged Uttarakhand. This includes a budget of Rs 700 crore under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Act (MNREGA) scheme.

After talks with Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna on Monday, Ramesh said the budgetary provisions for the hill state would be doubled to Rs 700 crore from Rs 450 crore under the scheme.

He also announced the provision for 150-day guaranteed employment in drought-affected areas would be introduced in the state.

“Under the MNREGA scheme there is a provision of only 100 day employment guarantee. But in the drought affected areas, there is a special provision of 150 day guarantee scheme which we are also introducing in Uttarakhand,” Ramesh said.

With hundreds of houses getting destroyed in the fury of floods and landslides, Ramesh has doubled the strength of houses under the Indira Awas Yojna in the BPL category to 28000 and assured relaxation in certain norms in this regard.

Under the pradhan mantra gramin sadak yojna (PMGSY), the ministry has assured full financial assistance to connect all the 1400 villages where roads have been damaged extensively. In all the affected districts where roads are to be upgraded, the ministry will also provide all help.

In addition to this, 500-600 km of road length under this scheme will also be built.

Ramesh also said teams of the World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB) would soon visit Uttarakhand for providing additional aid.