The Impressive TimesPatna, October 12: Bihar Rural Development and Information and Public Relations Minister Shrawan Kumar on Monday reviewed the progress of various departmental schemes and directed officials to accelerate their implementation. The meeting covered key initiatives, including Viksit Bharat–G Ram G, the Lohia Swachh Bihar Abhiyan, the Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali Abhiyan, the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, the Mukhyamantri Awas Yojana and JEEViKA.
During the meeting, held in his chamber at the Old Secretariat, Kumar directed officials to complete the construction of an emporium at Bodh Gaya at the earliest. He said the facility would enable domestic and international tourists to explore quality products made by JEEViKA self-help groups, while providing local handicrafts, traditional artwork and rural products with access to a wider global market. He also directed officials to explore the development of emporiums and rural marts at other tourist destinations.
Reviewing the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Gramin, the minister instructed officials to conduct a special verification of the Awaas Plus 2.0 survey list and include eligible people who had been left out of the housing scheme. He said that wherever irregularities were suspected in the survey lists, officials should conduct block-level investigations and ensure that all eligible beneficiaries received the scheme’s benefits.
Kumar also reviewed goat-rearing activities in rural areas and directed officials to expand their reach. He called for the establishment of Sudha sales centres at the block level, to be operated by JEEViKA women, known as Jeevika Didis. The initiative is intended to strengthen rural livelihoods and create additional employment opportunities for women.
Officials from the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) assured the department of their support for marketing-linkage initiatives in rural areas, including goat-rearing projects and the development of rural markets. The minister directed departmental officials to coordinate with NABARD to prepare and implement suitable plans, adding that such initiatives could open new avenues for rural development and women’s employment.
The minister also instructed officials to expedite site selection for the construction of Didi Kitchens and related facilities, speed up the construction of Anganwadi centres and ensure that wages for workers engaged in various schemes were paid within the prescribed time limits.
The meeting also included detailed discussions on the construction of rural markets under the VB-G RAM G scheme, e-KYC for active, skilled and semi-skilled workers, plantation activities, sewing initiatives undertaken by JEEViKA women, and the supply of children’s uniforms against targets received from the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Welfare Department, the Integrated Child Development Services Department, and the Backward Classes and Extremely Backward Classes Welfare Department.
Officials informed the minister that a standard operating procedure (SOP) was being prepared for pending works under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). They also announced that a large-scale Saras Mela would be organised at Gandhi Maidan from December 12 to 28 this year, featuring more than 800 stalls.
The officials further stated that special efforts were underway to promote and sell products made by JEEViKA women in urban areas. A master budget has also been prepared for check dams constructed under the Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali scheme to ensure that communities receive appropriate benefits from the stored water.
Among those present at the meeting were H.R. Srinivas, Additional Chief Secretary of the Rural Development Department; Gautam Kumar Singh, Chief General Manager of NABARD; Anjani Kumar, Commissioner of the VB-G RAM G scheme; Sumit Kumar, Director of the Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali Mission; Ananya Singh, Additional Chief Executive Officer of JEEViKA; Sunil Kumar, the minister’s personal secretary; and other senior officials.
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