The State level Vigilance and Monitoring Committee meeting was organised here today by the Rural Development Department to review the progress made under rural development schemes being implemented by various departments in the State.
Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Jai Ram Thakur, while presiding over the meeting said that Himachal Pradesh had been successfully implementing various centrally sponsored schemes and this small hilly State had emerged as a role model in the country with its outstanding achievements. He said that Himachal Pradesh had taken lead in implementation of MNREGA in entire North India. So far, Rs. 1691.89 crore had been spent under the scheme by generating 8.63 crore man days. Out of this, more than 50 percent fund had been spent on water conservation and land development works in the State.
He said that 12,261 Self Help Groups had been constituted in the State and Rs. 145.21 crore had been disbursed as loan and Rs. 33.46 crore as grant to the Swarojgaris during past four years.
Thakur said that State Government had urged the Government of India to include crop protection activity under MNREGA and enhance the financial assistance under Indira Awas Yojna as the amount being given was not sufficient for this hilly State. He informed that 39479 houses had been sanctioned under Indira Awas Yojna and Atal Awas Yojna and during 2011-12 and 4354 houses had been constructed against the total target of total 5659 houses by spending Rs. 1613 lakh.
The Minister said that all 3243 Gram Panchayats of the State had been declared as ODF and 688 panchayats had got Nirmal Gram Purskar so far whereas 1081 panchayats were under the consideration of GoI. He said that toilet facility had been provided to 23,134 schools and 12,000 Anganwari Kendras under Total Sanitation Campaign, 29519 individual toilets, 509 school toilets, 67 Anganwari toilets and 98 public toilets were constructed in the State during 2011-12 by spending Rs. 1192.12 lakh.
Jai Ram Thakur said that a scheme amounting to Rs. 4668.71 crore for development of 31,12,472 hectare rain fed areas had been submitted by the State and so far GoI had sanctioned 80 new schemes of Rs. 662.22 crore under it for treatment of 441482 hectare area. He said that the department would ensure that more BPL families were benefitted under MNREGA besides more involvement of women. He also directed the authorities to ensure that works completed under Total Sanitation Campaign were properly maintained.
The Minister said that State level Vigilance and Monitoring Committee would be organised in regular intervals in the future. He also thanked the participants for their valuable suggestions during the meeting.
Virender Kashyap, MP, Dile Ram, MLA and Chairman, State Finance Commission and Khushi Ram Balnatah, MLA also gave their suggestions for further improvement in effective implementation of various schemes.
Earlier, SKBS Negi, Principal Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj welcomed the participants and said that these meetings were also being conducted at district level to review the progress of centrally sponsored schemes. Dr. R.N. Batta, Director, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, gave a detailed presentation on activities and achievements of the Department. Uday More, Director, IEC, Rural Development, Ministry of GoI gave presentation on empowering rural India through Bharat Nirman Volunteers.
The line departments, implementing the schemes of rural development department also gave information about their progress through presentation. Un-official members, Secretaries and senior officers of various departments also attended the meeting.
