With an aim to providing each anganwadi centre with its own building, the government will take up construction of such structures across the State, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj K.S. Eshwarappa said on Wednesday.
Chairing a meeting to review the steps taken by officials to containing the spread of COVID-19 in rural areas, the status of various works under his department in Kalaburagi, Mr. Eshwarappa directed the officials to take up construction of anganwadi buildings expeditiously. Both the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department and the Women and Child Welfare Department will allocate ₹5 lakh each for establishing their own anganwadi centres. Besides this, the Social Welfare Department will allocate a financial assistance of ₹2 lakh each for the construction of anganwadi buildings, he added.
Stressing on the importance of rejuvenation of water bodies in rural areas, the Minister directed officials to map the total water bodies in each gram panchayat and work out an action plan for the conservation of at least one tank in each gram panchayat. Considering this, 261 tanks can be taken up for rejuvenation in the district, he said and set a deadline of three months for officials to complete the rejuvenation work.
In the first phase, 29 tanks against the targeted 40 have been rejuvenated in the district, an officer said.
As a preparedness measure to counter an anticipated third wave of COVID-19, Mr. Eshwarappa suggested that officials form a task force for every 50 houses in rural areas. The task force will have to create awareness among people in the jurisdiction of their respective gram panchayats to take COVID-19 vaccine and wearing masks.
Nearly 21,000 new job cards were issued for migrants under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) Scheme last year. This year, around 18,000 job cards were issued, the officer said.
The Minister took officials of the Forest Department to task for failing to reach the target last year and directed them to draw up an action plan to take up plantation drive to reach 100% target.
In 2020-2021, 10 lakh saplings were planted by the Forest Department against a target of planting 13 lakh saplings. And, for 2021-22, they have to plant 4.64 lakh saplings, of which they have planted only 51,000 saplings.
Commissioner of Karnataka Rural Water Supply and Sanitation R. Vishal and Kalaburagi Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Dilesh Sasi were present.
