Multipurpose tank scheme underway in Nuapada Friday, 10 September 2021 | AJIT PANDA | NUAPADA
Multipurpose tank scheme underway in Nuapada
One of the traditional water bodies of Rishigaon gram panchayat would get a new look in next few days when the renovation works under the Multi-Utility Gram Panchayat Tank Development Project are completed.
It would have stone patching on embankments, separate bathing ghats for men and women, a changing room for women, a Tulsi Chaura, garbage beans, solar lights, cement benches, plantation on embankments and other beautification works.
"We call it a model tank in true sense," says Malyabanta Suna, Sarpanch of the GP and adds that in addition to achieving the primary objective of generating employment for jobseekers, the project would also recharge groundwater, enhance water availability for farmers as well as augment the panchayat's income.
Mission water conservation is a priority area under the MGNREGS. The central focus is to develop land and harness rainwater to sustainably enhance farm productivity and income of rural poor.
Multipurpose tank excavation under MGNREGS is one of the activities designed to serve this purpose. However, in case of Multi Utility Gram Panchayat Tank (Model Tank) the State Government has added various other dimensions to it to make the concept more innovative and useful by converging the MGNREGS with various other schemes.
"Rishigaon panchayat had not invested much fund in renovation of this traditional water body in the past, which resulted in siltation and bank erosion.
People were asking us regularly for renovation of this pond. Thus, we kept this in the shelf of projects under MGNREGS which helped us undertake works like de-siltation, deepening and stone patching, etc. Other activities would be undertaken by converging other schemes with MGNREGS," added the Sarpanch. Khariar BDO Narayan Sahu says they are now developing three model tanks in Khariar block, the other two being at Khairpadar of Chindaguda GP and Khasbahal village.
According to information of the DRDA, Nuapada, there is a proposal to construct at least one model tank in every GP of the district in the next few years. At present, works of 13 model tank projects are going on out of the 20 approved. The investment and creation of facilities would be similar in every case. When the fund earmarked by MGNREGS is Rs 10 lakh, the rest is made available from other schemes.
"MGNREGS activities are usually stopped during August-September due to Kharif activities, but when the workers are willing to work, we have to offer them job," said Pradeep Ojha, APO, Khariar.
"Even though it is a lean period for job allotment under MGNREGS, the district is employing over 20,000 workers in different projects," added he.
The MGNREGS website shows that as on Wednesday, 21,418 workers are engaged in different projects like land development (8,049 persons), plantation (5,112 persons), model tank (3,111 persons) and road project (1,799 persons).
Comments
Post a Comment