Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Union Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has cited 'loopholes' in MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) as the major reason for its replacement with the G-Ram-G Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin).
Addressing the media regarding the works done in the entire year in his field of agriculture and rural development, in Bhopal on Tuesday, he said that loopholes in MGNREGA were posing as the obstacles in the rural development and the labourers' financial growth.
'Contractor involvement, repetition scarred MGNREGA'
He listed some of the drawbacks of MGNREGA-- preference of machines over labourers, handing over work to contractors, budget overestimation and repetition of the same work, further explaining how G-Ram-G would ensure better results for both-- the village-level development and the labourers.
'Viksit Gaon For Viksit Bharat'
He said that G-Ram-G will guarantee 125 days of work to labourers instead of 100 days in MGNREGA. The budget will be increased, and work will be allocated to the villages in a planned manner. "Viksit Bharat is impossible without Viksit Gaon. Therefore, we have linked G-Ram-G to the Viksit Bharat plan. We are even increasing the financial allocations and centre's share will cross Rs 95k crore.
Panchayats to be graded on basis of work requirement
Explaining how G-Ram-G will ensure overall development, Minister Chouhan said, "Now, Gram panchayat will be responsible for carving the village's overall development plan and listing important works to be done, like-- water conservation, infrastructure construction including school buildings, roads and bridges, provisions for proper drainage, etc. The Centre will evaluate the plan and grade the panchayats into three categories-- A, B & C on the basis of how much work is required. The budget will be allocated accordingly to ensure important works are done first.
"This will help in the development of the village, simultaneously guarantying work for the labourers," he added.
