IMPHAL, Jun 20 : Apart from reviewing many projects taken up in the State under Rural Development, the Parliamentary Standing Committee which arrived here yesterday has raised a number of questions regarding projects/schemes taken up in the State under the Ministry of Rural Development.
The team headed by its chairman Dr Venugopal inspected sanitation and drinking water supply schemes as well as roads constructed under PMGSY at Haraorou and Top Dushera in Imphal East district this morning.
Later they held a review meeting about schemes/projects taken up under Rural Development in the conference hall of the Old Secretariat.
PHED Additional Chief Secretary WL Hangshing, Rural Development Principal Secretary JC Ramthanga, Revenue Commissioner K Radhakumar, SBI and UBI officials were also present at the review meeting.
During the meeting, the Parliamentary team asked a number of questions to the State officials.
On their part, State Government officials pointed that only Rs 277.23 crore has been sanctioned so far against Rs 1838.31 crore entitled to the State during the current financial year under MGNREGS. As such, the State Government is facing a precarious situation and is in not a position to provide 100 days’ jobs to MGNREGS workers.
They also highlighted certain problems/points like shortfalls in solid waste management work in rural areas, construction of lesser number of houses under AAY in rural areas, receiving lesser amount of funds sanctioned under PMGSY, escalation in costs due to delay in execution of PMGSY works, landslide prevention measures, mode of distribution of wages to MGNREGS workers in Tamenglong and Ukhrul, quality of drinking water provided in rural areas and technology used in supplying drinking water in rural areas.
After the review meeting, Chief Secretary O Nabakishore handed over a list of 16 questions/raised by the Parliamentary committee to the Rural Development Principal Secretary and to submit a detailed clarification to the Lok Sabha Secretariat within seven days, conveyed an official source.
