Chief Minister Hemant Soren today asked all deputy commissioners of the State to ensure that no one dies of hunger in Jharkhand. “Take this seriously. If this happens, this will not only be shameful but also be painful. We all have to discharge our duties with sincerity. Monitor and review ration distribution, Didi Kitchen, MGNREGA works and other schemes also augment these schemes and connect people with employment,” he said while talking to all DCs and DDCs through video conferencing here on Friday.
The CM said that middlemen should not find a place in the schemes. “Middlemen have been reported to have job cards. Employment of villagers is the priority of the government. Work fast. Take care of any kind of negligence. Work should be done to identify workers at block and panchayat level and provide them employment and pay workers’ wages on time,” said he.
The CM said that the women of the State should not sell liquor in the local markets. One has to take the initiative to link such women to other jobs without forcefully removing them and to create new employment opportunities by forming a group of women. All DCs should plan for gradually making women aware not to sell liquor and provide work according to them, he said.
Soren said that during the monsoon, some schemes may be closed due to rain. “In such a situation, prepare an action plan for the villagers as per the monsoon so that they can be linked to employment even during the rains. All the DCs should prioritize this work. Identify the skilled people as well, so that they can be linked to employment in industries, mining, construction and other sectors according to their skills. Wherever the machine is being used in the work being done under MGNREGA in the State, then seize that machine. All the DCs should issue information in this regard that if the machine is caught working, then for the first time one month, second time for three months and third time for six months keep the machine in the police station. More complaints have been received from Dhanbad and Deoghar to get the work done by JCB machines,” he said.
The CM said that the government has set a target of planting fruitful trees under Birsa Green Village Scheme on about 20,000 acres of GM and Rayyati land. All the DCs should pay attention to this work.
The villagers have to lease those fruitful trees in the coming time through the scheme. Under the scheme, the Horticulture Sakhi Scheme entrusts the responsibility of conservation of fruit plantation on five acres of land to the group of women, ensuring economic independence.
The CM directed DC, Ranchi to link the returned workers from various states with the work of construction sector. He said that the government is also planning to construct ponds, small reservoirs and check dams under MGNREGA so that the capacity of ground water can be increased. The CM also directed the DCs to stop rain water by making rams. Employment is to be provided to the people through such works. Notice that there is encroachment in the catchment area of the capital's Kanke dam and the Getlasud dam in Ormanjhi. The condition of Getlasud Dam should not be like Kanke Dam, he said.
On this occasion, Minister Alamgir Alam, Chief Secretary Sukhdev Singh, Director General of Police MV Rao, Additional Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Singh, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Rajiv Arun Ekka, Principal Secretary Dr. Nitin Madan Kulkarni, Secretary Aradhana Patnaik, Secretary Amitabh Kaushal, MNREGA Commissioner Siddharth Tripathi, OSD to Chief Minister Gopalji Tiwari, Sr Pvt Secretary to CM Sunil Srivastava were present.
