Kolkata: The state government has bagged the national award for the 100-day work programme for livelihoods promotion and convergence that was been announced by the ministry of Rural Development.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee shared the information in her facebook page and congratulated the concerned persons. The ministry of Rural Development has announced the award and rankings for 2018-19. The Chief Minister wrote, "My heartfelt congratulations to the entire team for such outstanding work and achieving national leadership."
Bankura and Cooch Behar has bagged the first and second positions in performance in the country. Babarmahal Gram Panchayat of Kulpi in South 24-Parganas has also got the best performance award.
Banerjee remarked, "This is the result of dedication, hard and innovative work of the entire team from the state, district gram panchayat and up to village level and continuous monitoring."
After coming to power in 2011, Banerjee laid high emphasis on rural development and the 100-day work programme for livelihoods promotion and convergence was used as a tool for rural development by the Panchayats and Rural Development department.
Thousands of water bodies have been dug up and upgraded under the 100-day work programme. In the draught pone districts of Bankura and Purlia, the Panchayats and Rural Development department has taken a project called 'Usharmukti' whereby various irrigation schemes have been taken to supply water to barren land under the 100-day scheme. The scheme has changed the agricultural scenario of these two districts.
Many women run self-help groups, in Nadia district are doing a great job in pisciculture. Ponds have been dug up under the scheme and the state Fisheries department has provided fish seeds needed in this regard. Women associated with self-help groups have become economically self-reliant and fish production has met the local demand successfully.
Production of bricks from fly ash is another scheme that deserves special mention. The Panchayats and Rural Development has set up the brick kilns which are being run by women.
It may be mentioned that all the districts in Bengal have become Open Defecation Free (ODF) much ahead of the deadline given.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during her administrative review meetings have over and again asked the district administration to take up pro-people schemes under 100 days work. To restore normalcy in the areas affected by storm Bulbul, workers under the 100-day work programme have been deployed in both south and north 24 parganas.