ApnaBundelkhand.com, New Delhi: The meeting on Bundelkhand on Saturday saw representatives of the Centre and the UP government taking divergent positions on implementing central programmes in some parts of the region.

The meeting took place in Jhansi and it was called by the Centre to discuss the possibilities of converging centrally sponsored schemes in the part of Bundelkhand that falls in UP.

Bundelkhand is a region that covers parts of south-central UP and north-eastern Madhya Pradesh. The UP government on Saturday stated that Chief Secretary Atul Kumar Gupta was not invited to the meeting.

According to sources, Union Joint Secretary (Rural Development) Amita Sharma referred to a report that pointed out anomalies in implementing the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) in Mahoba and Gonda districts of UP. She said the UP government should take action on the report.

The NREGS is a Rs 40,000- crore social security scheme of the Centre, and is being implemented by the states. Mahoba falls in Bundelkhand but Gonda is outside it. The district magistrate of Gonda was, however, present at the meeting. UP Special Secretary (Rural Development) B.L. Agarwal talked about what the state government had done to set right the implementation of NREGS.

Union Rural Development Secretary B.K. Sinha said UP should develop model villages. Central officials expressed concern about the low participation of women in the NREGS and other schemes. Union Minister for Rural Development Pradeep Jain Aditya said corruption remained a major challenge in implementing schemes.

There was discussion about NREGS beneficiaries not being paid in about six districts. Rural development commissioner Sanjiv Kumar and the district magistrates or chief development officers of 13 districts (including seven of Bundelkhand) were present.

The central team asked the state to update the database so that information on NREGS implementation was available online.
Centre asks UP to fix NREGS glitches

Umesh Raghuvanshi

letters@hindustantimes.com

Lucknow

The meeting on Bundelkhand on Saturday saw representatives of the Centre and the UP government taking divergent positions on implementing central programmes in some parts of the region.

The meeting took place in Jhansi and it was called by the Centre to discuss the possibilities of converging centrally sponsored schemes in the part of Bundelkhand that falls in UP.

Bundelkhand is a region that covers parts of south-central UP and north-eastern Madhya Pradesh. The UP government on Saturday stated that Chief Secretary Atul Kumar Gupta was not invited to the meeting.

According to sources, Union Joint Secretary (Rural Development) Amita Sharma referred to a report that pointed out anomalies in implementing the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) in Mahoba and Gonda districts of UP. She said the UP government should take action on the report.

The NREGS is a Rs 40,000- crore social security scheme of the Centre, and is being implemented by the states. Mahoba falls in Bundelkhand but Gonda is outside it. The district magistrate of Gonda was, however, present at the meeting. UP Special Secretary (Rural Development) B.L. Agarwal talked about what the state government had done to set right the implementation of NREGS.

Union Rural Development Secretary B.K. Sinha said UP should develop model villages. Central officials expressed concern about the low participation of women in the NREGS and other schemes. Union Minister for Rural Development Pradeep Jain Aditya said corruption remained a major challenge in implementing schemes.

There was discussion about NREGS beneficiaries not being paid in about six districts. Rural development commissioner Sanjiv Kumar and the district magistrates or chief development officers of 13 districts (including seven of Bundelkhand) were present.

The central team asked the state to update the database so that information on NREGS implementation was available online.