Chhattisgarh Minister for Panchayat and Rural Development Ajay Chandrakar has urged the Central Government to further increase the number of bank branches in Chhattisgarh. He said that Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) had provided work to thousands of villagers in Chhattisgarh so the rise in number of bank branches will help in faster payment made to the labourers employed under the scheme in the far flung regions of the State.
Chandrakar was addressing a function held on the occasion of the 10th Foundation Day of the MGNREGA scheme at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi on Monday. Notably, Chhattisgarh won three national awards for works done under (MNREGA). The State was given the awards at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi.
South Bastar (Dantewada) and Narayanpur were awarded for generating employment oriented works in insurgency hit regions for year 2013-14. likewise Faroud Panchayat of Raipur was also awarded for outstanding work carried under the Act. Notably, last year also Naxal violence hit Bijapur and Rajnandgaon district were awarded for works done under MNREGA.
Chief Minister Raman Singh has expressed happiness over the achievement. Union Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh handed over the awards. Additional Chief Secretary, MK Raut, Secretary, PC Mishra, Collector Dantewada KC Devsenapati Chief Executive Officer, Narayanpur Deepak Soni, MNREGA State Additional Commissioner Yashwant Kumar and Sarpanch of Fafoud village Himmat Singh also took part in the award ceremony.
Dantewada was awarded for starting organic farming and Ksheer Sagar scheme. For encouraging farmers to adopt organic farming in the district 'Mocho Badi' scheme was launched in district. Similarly for encouraging milk production on cooperative basis Ksheer Sagar scheme have been started and results have been encouraging. Similarly, in Narayanpur district for fiscal 2013-14 against the employment demand from 13,714 families, 13,301 families were provided with employment.