Central Government on Thursday reviewed the progress of various centrally-sponsored schemes including MG-NREGA, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G), National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP), Program for Students with Disabilities Management System (PSDMS), besides others.

Union Ministry of Rural Development’s secretary Amarjit Sinha on Thursday held a meeting with the Punjab Government officials, attended by the Chief Secretary Karan Avtar Singh, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Tejveer Singh, Principal Secretary (Finance) Anirudh Tewari, ACS Sanjay Kumar and Principal Secretary Rural Development DK Tewari and Rural Development director Jaskiran Singh.

Sinha appreciated the progress made under these schemes and ensured that funds may not be a hindrance in way of progress of centrally sponsored schemes.

He highlighted the issue of depleting water table in the state of Punjab and insisted to formulate schemes for water charging and its conservation.

Suggesting that these types of activity can be taken up under MGNREGA, Sinha insisted upon the convergence in various development schemes of State and Central Governments for quality assets creation.

Secretary also suggested creating corpus of fund at the state level to meet any exigency. At the same time, he assured that material funds for MGNREGA will be released shortly to the State.

During discussion, it was proposed that skilled and semi-skilled worker payment, currently which is the part of material component (40 percent) should be included in the labour component (60 percent).

He told that the matter is already under consideration and may be sorted out soon.

The Secretary desired that credit linkage of SHG’s should be taken up on large scale as banking industry is very strong in the State, which will push more fund in the rural area resulting in overall development

Sinha was requested to enhance the target under PMAY(G) to which he made a positive response and desired to send written request to the Union Ministry.

 He also appreciated the works done under PMGSY in the State. He mentioned that quality work as being done in Madhya Pradesh and same can be replicated in the state of Punjab.