Need to boost sanitation in villages: Ramesh

Saturday, 12/05/2012

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120512/punjab.htm

To improve road connectivity in border areas, the Centre has agreed in principle to bring these under the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), said Union Minister for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh here today.

Addressing mediapersons, after paying obeisance at the Golden Temple, Ramesh , who is on a two-day Punjab visit, said: “Some border areas are thinly populated and, hence, cannot be covered under PMGSY norms. However, to upgrade road connectivity in these areas, we have decided not to apply the population clause. In Punjab, we are upgrading roads (1,800 km) in Amritsar, Pathankot and Tarn Taran.” The Union Minister said the Centre would initiate measures to facilitate clean drinking water in Punjab villages, particularly those in the Malwa region, where the incidence of cancer was high. Admitting that adequate measures were not being taken to improve water quality, he said he would discuss the matter with the Punjab CM tomorrow.

He stressed on the need to boost sanitation in Punjab villages. “Of the 16,000 village panchayats, only 200 have earned the status of Nirmal Gram Panchayat,” he said.

The minister said rapid urbanisation had led to the mushrooming of small towns, which could neither be termed as urban nor rural. “To ensure that these towns are not deprived of rural development schemes, the government has chalked out a plan for their development.”

Ramesh ruled out the possibility of giving foodgrain to labourers engaged under MNREGA. “Our past experience has been rather bad. Either the labourers were not given anything, or they received substandard grain.” The minister was presented a siropa by SGPC officials.

During his visit to Qadian, the hometown of Gurdaspur MP Partap Bajwa, Ramesh addressed members of the Ahmadiya Muslim community. He was felicitated by Tanveer Ahmed.

Besides Congress MLAs Tripit Rajinder Singh Bajwa, SS Randhawa, Ashwani Sekhri, Aruna Chowdhury and Sukh Sarkaria, Punjab ministers SS Rakhra and SS Dhillon were among those who attended the function. Ramesh assured the Congress MLAs that he would take up the issue of a fiscal package for the border belt with the PM.

Dera Baba Nanak legislator Sukhjinder S Randhawa urged him to hold an inquiry into the alleged misuse of funds meant for central schemes like MNREGA by state officials. Asked if central funds could be diverted for other purposes, Ramesh said there was no such provision.