Jammu, Mar 20: Minister for Rural Development, Law and Parliamentary Affairs,   Ali Muhammad Sagar today said that the elected representatives have been involved in a big way in fixing priorities and implementing various rural development works, in order to strengthen the democratic set up at the grass roots level.
 “This is a significant stride towards involving the people at grass roots level in decision making and ensuring equitable development at local levels”,   Sagar said while replying to the discussion on the Demand for Grants of the departments under his charge in the Legislative Assembly this afternoon.
 The Minister said that Rs. 132.15 crore have been spent till February 2010 on the completion of various works under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) of which 10065 works have been completed. He said the State has projected a demand of Rs. 641 crore under the scheme this year.
 Sagar said that socio-economic transformation of rural landscape, as well as, developing quality infrastructure forms one of the main thrust areas of the Government. He said, to provide dwelling units to the people living under Below Poverty Line (BPL), 50,872 houses have been undertaken for construction under Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY). He said extra care is being taken while identifying the people living under BPL and the lists are being prepared after a proper scrutiny.
 Under the Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Package, 119 model villages have been taken up for overall development,   Sagar said, adding that  85 of these have been completed. These villages have the state of art facilities like Rural Information Centres, Community Halls, Play fields etc.  “The step will go a long way in arresting the migration of people from rural areas to the urban ones and the concept of Urban Haats to provide market to the rural artisans at their places will lead to their economic emancipation”, he maintained. He also said that under the State Plan, four model villages had been taken up, of which three stand completed.
 The Minister said that the Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) is being implemented in the entire State while BPL families are being provided cash incentive of Rs. 2700 for construction of individual house hold units. Under this scheme, he said, 146593 house hold latrines, 541 community sanitary complexes, 87 Anganwari units and 12837 school toilets have been constructed and an amount of Rs.46.39 crore have been spent till February.
 Sagar said that under the Integrated Water Development Project (Haryali), 37 projects have been taken up to cover 209 lakh hectares with a financial involvement of Rs. 125.52 crore.
 Similarly, under the Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF), an amount of Rs. 40.77 crore has been made available to develop various districts. So far Kupwara, Poonch, Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar covered under this programme, he said.
 The Minister said that under Swaranjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY), a scheme meant to generate self employment among the people living in different blocks. 5361 individual and 6387 self-help-groups have been assisted by providing, an amount of Rs. 8.57 crore so that these can set up their own income generating units. Under District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), an amount of Rs. 10.86 crore has been spent upto February.
 Sagar said that in order to upgrade the judicial infrastructure, an amount of Rs. 191.2 crore have been made available for construction of district court complexes, pending block of High Court, Srinagar, Munsiff Courts at Sumabal Sonawari, Judicial Academy in District Court Complex, Srinagar, Sub-Judge Court Complex at Pattan, conversion of old Muhaffiz Khana into State Human Rights Commission office at Moulana Azad Complex, acquisition of land around Legislative Complex at Srinagar, construction of Atrium lobby in district court complex, Janipora, construction of district court complex, Udhampur, court complex at Ramnagar, amount for purchase of land for construction of district court complex, Doda and construction of lawyers chambers at Janipora, Jammu.
 The Minister said that during 2009-10, a total number of 287 Lok Adalats were held in which 16524 cases have been settled and compensation of Rs. 14.42 crore have been disbursed to 801 motor accident claims. About 38 legal awareness camps have been held throughout the State. Similarly, 4133 cases have been disposed of by Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal in the State and an amount of Rs. 73.98 crore has been awarded to the victims.
 Later, the House passed the demand of grant for Rs.49105.9 lakhs unanimously when the members withdrew their cut motions.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 20 Mar 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 20 Mar 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 21 Mar 2010 00:00:00 IST