Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh, who was on a political-cum-official trip to Jharkhand, announced some populist measures, after holding a meeting with top officials of the State at Project Building Secretariat in Ranchi on Tuesday.
Giving instructions to senior officials of the State, Jairam said that efforts were on to make benefits of development schemes reach even those who were residing on government acquired land. Ramesh was referring to some 40,000 families in Ramgarh district.
On construction of permanent campus of the Indian Institute of Management, Ranchi (IIM -R) at Nagri, Ramesh said the IIM structure could be constructed on the 75-acre plot at Sukurhuttu area also, indicating that he was not in favour of building the IIM at Nagri where land was acquired over a decade ago. While reviewing schemes under MNREGA, IAY, PMGSY, etc, the Union Minister asked senior officials to complete the development schemes within the deadline. "The labour budget sanctioned for the financial year 2013-14 was `15,000 crore, which has to be spent within the set deadline. The details of 70,000 wells dug under MNREGA are available on the website. Till date, 78,000 wells have been dug in the State," he said.
Ramesh said that tender process would be completed and works would be allotted for those roads (under PMGSY) that would be given administrative approval by August 31. Roads and bridges under Saranda and Saryu action plans are also being constructed and after completion of these schemes around 2000 km of rural roads would be visible in Jharkhand, he added.
Advisor to Governor, Madhukar Gupta said that Deputy Commissioners should be provided a list of roads approved for construction and tender works must be completed before monsoon.
Chief Secretary RS Sharma said during the meeting that there was no dearth of funds and schemes for the State's development.
Senior officers of the State, including Rural Development department Principal Secretary RS Poddar, Secretary of Water Resources department SK Satpathy, Planning Council deputy chairman Debashis Gupta, MNREGA Commissioner and DCs of Ramgarh and Chaibasa districts were present at the
meeting.