J'khand beneficiaries to get fruit tree to grow income, protect environment

This will not only increase the income of the villagers, but will also be a step towards environmental protection, said CM Soren.

The Jharkhand government has decided to provide at least two fruit bearing trees to PDS card holders and beneficiaries of different schemes in the state in a bid to augment villagers' income and push its environment protection initiative, officials said on Friday.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who reviewed the progress of various government schemes on Friday at a meeting, asked the deputy commissioners of all districts to ensure that all the card holders and beneficiaries of different schemes are provided with at least two fruit bearing trees.

This will not only increase the income of the villagers, but will also be a step towards environmental protection, he said.

Soren said that the government's Birsa Harit Gram Yojana too will be effective in making the villages green. The scheme, which is aimed at the financial uplift of the senior citizens and widows, is being implemented in 9,538 villages of the state, an official statement said.

Expressing concern over the migration of workers from rural areas in search of employment, Soren said that at least five schemes are to be implemented in every panchayat. These schemes should be implemented on priority basis, so that the labourers can get employment in their villages, he said.

The government is running several schemes under MGNREGA for employment generation and are operational in 4,153 panchayats of the state. Against the target of generating 297 lakh man days by June, around 240 lakh man days have been created by now, which is 80 per cent of the total target, the release said.

In a bid to promote sports at the school level in the state, the chief minister directed officials that one day in a month should be celebrated as sports day in schools. He also directed to prepare a sports plan for differently-abled children.

Reviewing the progress of the panchayati raj department, he directed the officials to increase the number of Prgya Kendras from the existing 20,000 to 35,000 in the state and ensure essential facilities including electricity, water, generator, internet connectivity and security in the centers in the next three months.

Pragya Kendras in Jharkhand are single window points for delivery of public services, social welfare schemes, health care schemes, financial schemes, education and agriculture services to citizens in rural and remote areas of the country.