THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The annual conference of District Collectors, held here the other day, decided to set up durable assets using the funds of the MGNREGS and it has been decided to implement the scheme in a more effective manner. Instead of productive utilisation of the Rs 700-crore fund under the scheme, most of the local bodies had spent major share of the fund for cutting grass, sanitation and other projects, which had little impact on the sustaining progress of the state. The meeting also observed that despite having a provision to utilise 40 per cent of the project outlay for purchasing construction materials, most of the local bodies used it for unproductive mandays just to provide them wages. Compared to the utilisation of Rs 700 crore under the scheme, this year, the government plans to spend Rs 1,500 crore by converging the MGNREGS fund with the funds from other sources. For creating durable assets, priority will be given to local government agricultural farms as demonstration farms, land development, irrigation and horticulture of tribal farms, desilting of canals, strengthening of embankments of rivers and canals, building playgrounds and bio-fencing of school compounds, especially Model Residential Schools of Tribal Development Department. Principal Secretary of the Local Self-Government Department will prepare a detailed report, about the fund utilisation for permanent assets, for the consideration of the Cabinet. Strict action will be initiated against the officials who cause delay in the distribution of wages to the members of the scheme. The meeting also discussed the difficulties being faced in the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). As of now, there has been several impediments in extending the project to more areas. District Collectors were asked to take steps to expedite the project by shifting the utilities of the KSEB, Kerala Water Authority and BSNL. District Collectors will take measures to revise the rates of the works under the project. Another important decision taken in the meeting was to formulate a scheme to provide assistance to the grama panchayats to set up public crematoriums. A meeting of the panchayat heads will also be held in this regard. Now 507 grama panchayats have public crematoriums in the state.
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