Complete pending works in Gram Panchayats: Errabelli to officials

Panchayat Raj Minister directed officials to ensure Covid protocol is strictly followed by MGNREGS workers

Hyderabad: Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao here on Monday asked officials to take up pending works in Gram Panchayats with the help of Rs 217 crore funds of 15th Finance Commission sanctioned by the government.

At a review meeting with officials here, the Minister said the government released the funds to complete various pending works in Gram Panchayats. He reviewed the progress of works taken up by the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development department.

Since Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) works were progressing at a brisk pace, the Minster advised the officials to ensure that Covid-19 safety protocol is strictly followed to contain the spread of virus.

Officials must ensure that the workers wear face masks and sanitise their hands regularly apart from maintaining physical distance while carrying out works under the MGNREG Scheme. At the same time, authorities must take necessary precautionary measures for the safety of workers from sunstroke.

Health survey

The Minister asked ASHA workers, village Sarpanches and Panchayat Secretaries to successfully complete the health survey and priority should be accorded to sanitation in the wake of the second wave of Covid.

He said the construction of 12,270 modern crematoriums was taken up across the State at a cost of over Rs 1,554 crore. Of them, construction of 11,250 was completed while the remaining 1,470 were under various stages of construction.

Rao instructed officials to complete other pending works at the earliest and asked Sarpanches and Panchayat Secretaries to protect saplings that were planted during the Haritha Haram programme.