‘Changes to job scheme will help check migration’ As part of their efforts to check migration from rural areas, the Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) has brought in changes to the jobscheme to link it with agricultural activities. Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj H.K. Patil told The Hindu that this would help the poor living in rural areas. Under the scheme, small and marginal farmers can take up development activities on their own farms and draw wages under MNREGA. All agrarian activities in their farms would be considered as work taken up under the job scheme. The purpose was to ensure additional financial gains along with food production. The move would prevent small and marginal farmers from abandoning their lands and migrating to other areas, he said. Though the scheme had been designed for small and marginal farmers, other sections such as women managing households, ex-servicemen and persons with disabilities could avail themselves of the benefits of this scheme. Earlier, a similar arrangement existed under MNREGA but was limited to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, said the Minister. Now, farmers from all communities can avail themselves of the benefits. The main beneficiaries would be farmers who have obtained lands under the Land Reforms Act. “I am also contemplating removing the restriction on land limits and extending the facility to all farmers — including medium and big — as the agrarian crisis has hit all sections,” he said. He added that the State government had received Rs. 434 crore under MNREGA this year. University
Posted on: Sat, 23 Nov 2013 09:11:14 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015