Chhattisgarh was on Tuesday once again conferred with the prestigious national award for successful implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
The State was awarded during an exhibition of works done by various States under MGNREGA at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.
Union panchayat and rural development Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh gave away the award to Chhattisgarh panchayat and rural development department, Secretary, PC Mishra and nodal officer Subhash Mishra. Sushma Minj, Sarpanch of Padhi gram panchayat in Balrampur district was also felicitated for exemplary work in implementation of MNREGA.
She also addressed the gathering and shared her experiences related to MNREGA.
KP Verma, assistant post master of Rajnandgaon, Sitaram Dewangan, deputy post master of Banchabazar and Gajadhar Prasad Sinha, branch post master of ‘Bhatgaonrudri’ in Dhamtari district were also awarded at the function for exemplary performance in opening of accounts and instant payment to labourers.
Minister of State for Drinking Water and Sanitation Ram Kripal Singh Yadav, Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Nihalchand and Minister of State Sudarshan Bhagat were also present at the event.
Additional Chief Secretary Panchayat and Rural Development department, Chhattisgarh, M K Raut said that these awards were testimony to exemplary work been done in Chhattisgarh under the leadership of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh and Chhattisgarh Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Ajay Chandrakar.
Development work carried out in the state and various programmes under MNREGA along with efforts made by the State to improve the livelihood of MNREGA beneficiaries were displayed effectively at the exhibition.
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Union Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh appreciated the exhibition. Models on Pisciculture in remote and Naxal affected areas, construction of fences for promoting organic farming, livelihood through kosa production, dairy business and rural tourism were displayed at the exhibition.
The exhibition also showed that how women holding job cards have formed self-help group ‘Saikripa’ and were manufacturing CFl for livelihood.
Panchayat and Rural Development Secretary J K Mahapatra, Additional Secretary Amarjeet Singh and Joint Secretary MNREGA Aprajita Sarangi were also present.