For creating assets of elementary schools on a mission mode, the Punjab School Education Department has decided to involve the MNREGA workers. “The initiative will aim at alleviating the sufferings of the people in rural areas and securing their lives and livelihood in these perilous times of Covid-19,” said State Education Minister Vijay Inder Singla
on Sunday.
Singla said in a Cabinet meeting headed by the Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, it was decided that the State Government will converge its funds under various flagship programs to pursue its 2020-2022 Strategy for Rural Transformation and boost employment and push development in villages in the stressed post-Covid environment through active involvement of village, block and Zila Panchayats.
“Thus, to provide job opportunities to the rural people, especially MNREGA workers, the School Department, in collaboration with the Rural Development and Panchayats Department, has taken initiative to create assets for elementary schools in rural areas through Mahatma Gandhi NREGS,” he said.
The Minister said under this drive, Department of School Education has been authorized as an independent implementing agency for carrying out the permissible works in schools such as, construction or repair and maintenance of compound wall, construction of parks, playground, multi-unit toilets, kitchen sheds, anganwari centres and soak pits and plantation works and deployment of van mittars.
“This drive shall create transformational changes in school infrastructure. All the Deputy Commissioners-cum-District Programme Officer (DPC) MGNREGA have been asked for personal intervention to make this programme a success and to monitor it closely by holding regular or fortnightly review meetings so that effectively implementation has been ensured,” he said.
The Minister said that the Rural Development Department will deploy one Technical Assistant in each district for the sectoral programme, who will coordinate with officials of the School Education Department.
Besides this, the Rural Development Department will monitor the progress of the drive on a daily basis, and staff and the state level and district coordinators of MGNRGES will be providing necessary support at any point of time, said Singla.
The Minister categorically said that school management committee has been entrusted with the work of proposal, resolution and Gram Sabha approval for infra works, GeoTagging of the work to be done by ACs (Smart Schools) after which, demand of card holders will be updated and work will be allocated to them, while concerned Deputy Commissioner will give administrative sanctions to the project. Singla emphasised to ensure that work funded under the NREGA shall be performed by using manual labour instead of machines.
“No contractors to be involved at any stage of implementing the wage project on the site. Registered job card holders will be employed on the NREGA component of the convergence of the project,” he said.