Andhra Pradesh eyes over 27 crore man days under MGNREGS

VIJAYAWADA: After the successful implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in last fiscal (2020-21) by providing 26 crore person days work to the needy against the target of 25.25 crore, officials of the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development department are contemplating creating at least 27 crore person days in the current fiscal. If all goes well, the target will reach 30 crore person days, said officials.

Proposals have been sent to the Centre seeking 27 crore person days this year. In the first phase, the Centre has sanctioned only 20 crore person days to Andhra Pradesh in the fiscal 2021-22. However, the officials exuded confidence of getting Centre’s nod for 27 crore person days. Speaking to TNIE, official sources explained that the State will get Rs 7,000 crore towards payment of wages to workers and another `4,500 crore towards asset creation if it achieves 30 crore man days.

The officials are planning to complete 20 crore person days by the end of July and send fresh proposals to the Centre seeking more person days. “As it is a demand-driven programme, we are hopeful of getting more allocation,” an official said. In the absence of agriculture related activities in the summer, there will be a great demand for MGNREGS works during the period. “Once the commencement of monsoon, the farm works will begin and there will be significant drop in MGNREGS works. So, we are planning to complete the 20 crore man days in the coming three to four months so as to get more allocation. Though we got 20 crore person days, we have prepared plans to complete 27 crore man days and the target was given to districts accordingly,” he said.

“In fact, the Centre had allocated 21 crore person days for the 2020-21 fiscal, but after assessing the performance of the State, it allocated 4.25 crore more man days, taking the total to 25.25 person days. But, we have completed 26 crore person days in the fiscal,” he said adding that this year they are confident of creating at least 27 crore man days and also eyeing 30 crore man days mark.