Telangana Pushes to Accelerate NAREGA Implementation, Targets 20 Lakh Workers

Telangana's top rural development administrator has issued urgent instructions to officials to ramp up the pace of NAREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) implementation statewide, with plans to mobilise significantly more workers in the coming weeks.

Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Special Chief Secretary Dana Kishore convened a video conference with district collectors and rural development officials from the Dr B.R. Ambedkar Secretariat to review progress on the employment guarantee scheme. Alongside SERP CEO Divya, he directed officials to commence all sanctioned projects without delay across Telangana.

The current workforce participating in NAREGA stands at approximately 15 lakh labourers daily, but this figure is to be increased to 20 lakh immediately. Dana Kishore instructed officials to accelerate implementation of both wage-based and material-based components of the scheme.

The existing NAREGA framework will remain operational until June 30, with the new VBG Ramji scheme set to commence from July 1.

Operational adjustments for summer conditions

To address the intense summer heat, authorities have been instructed to commence work at 5:30 am and wrap up primary activities by 10:30 am. Officials must mobilise workers a day in advance and ensure all activities remain confined to village habitation areas.

District collectors are required to personally visit employment guarantee worksites each morning to inspect progress and maintain oversight. MPDOs have been directed to concentrate exclusively on NAREGA implementation for the next 40 days to expedite project completion.

Dana Kishore has also asked officials to prioritise farm pond construction on assigned agricultural land to provide support to farming communities.

Self-help group buildings and sanitation drive

The state government is preparing to initiate construction of nearly 8,000 buildings designated for women's self-help groups as part of a 99-day special action plan. Dana Kishore instructed officials to launch a substantial number of construction initiatives within the next 40 days.

Eligible structures under this scheme include Anganwadi centres, gram panchayat buildings, school compound walls, and women's association buildings. Officials have also been tasked with regularly cleaning concrete drains in villages and strengthening sanitation infrastructure ahead of the monsoon season.

Loan recovery and financial oversight

SERP CEO Divya directed attention to the recovery of bank linkage loans extended to women's groups, with a target of reducing non-performing assets (NPAs) to zero. District collectors have been instructed to conduct monthly reviews of loan sanctions, recovery efforts for Streenidhi loans, and NPA control measures.