Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam has ordered resumption of MGNREGA works in J&K with directions to follow Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) amid the lockdown in the Union Territory. However there will be no activity allowed in the red zones.
As per an order, the Chief Secretary, who is also chairmanof State Executive Committee, directed the District Development Commissioners(DDCs) across J&K to allow MGNREGA activities in their respective areasoutside the containment zones.
“The DDCs will provide duty passes to the fieldfunctionaries including Block Development Officers (BDOs), Village LevelWorkers, Junior Engineer, Programme Officers, TA, and GRS on need bases forimplementation of MGNREGA works,” reads the order.
The order directs for maintaining social distancing, use ofprotective face covers, masks, repeated washing of hands of officials, fieldstaff and workers.
The Chief Secretary has fixed priority to irrigation andwater conservation works as permissible under MGNREGA. The central sponsoredscheme will focus on individual oriented works directly benefiting ScheduledCaste (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and women headed house-holds as well assmall and marginal farmers and other poor households.
The departments have been directed to adhere to 60:40labour-material ratios as per the guideline.
While declining permission to industrial or manufacturingactivity in red zone areas, the Chief Secretary has allowed the manufacturingof essential commodities like basic food processing activities, food items,pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing activities like units repairing transformersand parts material needed in power supply distribution, units producingcardboards wooden boxes for apple/fruit packing to maintain supply chain.
These activities were allowed quoting guidelines by theUnion Ministry of Home Affairs.
Similarly, the construction activities will also be resumedin Union Territory for which executive engineers have been tasked to identifythe work to be resumed during the lockdown period.
These officers will prepare list of such projects and shareinformation with the respective district magistrates for permission andmovement like minimum labourers, transportation of raw material and will shareminimum staff required for the purpose.
In municipal limits, the government has ordered thelabourers and constriction workers shall have to stay inside the constructionsite.
In construction projects in rural areas, the labourers havebeen asked to stay in the area adjoining the construction sites and no hugescale daily movement of labourers will be allowed.