The district authorities here said they have resumed the development activities following announcement by the government to relax the restrictions.
A statement said the government’s decision to announce relaxations for carrying out developmental activities amid COVID19 pandemic, has given lease of life to already stalled developmental projects besides allowing new activities in the district.
The lockdown announcement had severely hit the developmental sector even as the work season had already begun, leaving a number of ongoing projects unfinished and others new works in limbo, said the statement.
The district administration headed by Deputy Commissioner, AnshulGarg has so far issued permission for execution of 1,270 different developmental works.
Rural Development Department (RDD) has taken up execution of 452 different works including construction of link roads, footpaths, lanes, drains, irrigation khuls, streetlights, protection bunds, land leveling and public parks under MGNREGA.
These works were going on uniformly in all 26 blocks of the border district and a total of Rs 795.70 crore has already been released to execute the rural development works in the district.
During the current financial year, Rs 1694.08 lakh has been expended on the execution of these works so far. As many as 12,565 households were offered employment by engaging 20495 unskilled labourers and 1, 82,286 man days of work have been generated during current financial Rs 204 is being paid per day per person (labour) as wages.
Moreover, 94 roads and bridge projects, 24 de-silting works, construction of six filtration plants, 14 substations, 63 school buildings, up-gradation of three vegetable markets and three water supply schemes and other miscellaneous works were under execution with different executing agencies in the district.
In order to execute these works smoothly within the stipulated time frame, as many as 342 engineering and supervisory staff were performing duties. The Deputy Commissioner said that the construction works were going on with strict application of standard operating procedures (SOPs) as laid down by the government to contain the spread of COVID19.
In order to review the progress of development works carried out in the district, a joint meeting of concerned officers and chairpersons of Block Development Councils was also being held from time to time to clear issues, bottlenecks if any.