Gram sabhas focus on job scheme and water sources

VILLUPURAM: Gram sabha meetings were held in Villupuram and Cuddalore districts to commemorate Gandhi Jayanthi on Thursday.

While Villupuram District Collector R. Palanisamy attended as an observer in the nannadu gram sabha meeting at Koliyanur, Cuddalore District Revenue Officer S. Natarajan attended one such a meeting at Sithamalli in Kattumannarkoil block.

The meetings laid stress on the proper implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee (NREG) Scheme because it not only provided 100-day jobs in a year to the villagers but also helped in creation of assets.

They discussed in detail the works such as digging of new tanks, lakes and canals, or deepening or desilting the water sources for the financial year 2009-10. The Sabhas also dwelt at length on the implementation of the Anaithu Grama Anna Marumalarchi Thittam for which every panchayat had been allotted a sum of Rs.20 lakhs. The panchayats had been directed to spend up to Rs.10,000 for the upkeep of the playgrounds.

Higher incentives

The activities of the panchayats, such as provision of drinking water, collection of power tariff, administrative expenses and so on were reviewed. The Sabhas laid emphasis on making the total sanitation concept a success in all vi*llages.

To facilitate this, the Centre had raised the incentive for construction of individual toilets from Rs.1,200 to Rs.2,500. The Sabahs also took up matters relating to basic amenities or lack of them, and promised to take remedial measures.

The Sabahs also agreed to remain in a state of preparedness to tackle both natural and man-made disasters. At Cuddalore the Sabahs also took up the “Administration at the people’s doorstep” scheme.

The occasion was marked by inauguration of khadi sales in both the districts. A discount of 30 per cent would be given on all purchases of silk and other khadi articles.

Mr. Natarajan, DRO, while speaking on the occasion at the khadi showroom in Cuddalore, said, when terrorism and violence were marring the peace of various parts of the country, the Gandhian principle of ahimsa (non-violence) acquired great significance now.