Official apathy may hit rural job scheme

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Source: The Hindu (http://www.hinduonnet.com/2009/11/14/stories/2009111450630200.htm)
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‘Official apathy may hit rural job scheme’


Correspondent

Intervention of higher officials sought
KORAPUT: The Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY), one of the major ongoing programme for the self-employment of rural poor may lose its momentum in Koraput district as officials at the grassroots have not been sensitive to the needs of villagers, said Kamli Gantha, secretary, Kaligai Mahila Sangh of Mugunaguda in Semiliguda block. While the basic objective of SGSY is to better the lot of the poor families by providing them income-generating assets through a mix of bank credit and governmental subsidy, the villagers of Mugunaguda had to run from pillar to post to get a loan, he alleged.
The villagers wanted to go for an autorickshaw or a luggage carrier van so that they can be used at times of emergency.
It will also enable them to send their vegetables to the nearby market using their own luggage carrier instead of hiring one from Semiliguda, Palo Hantal, president of the SHG said.
But surprisingly, the officials had insisted on purchasing a generator which was not desired by the villagers. Moreover, there was already one generator in the village, he added.
Instances of officials not going by the views of the villagers was not new. Earlier also, Indiramma Mahila Sangh of the village was forced to take a generator last year by officials in the block, as a part of their loan. While members of the SHG wanted to purchase a small generator out of the total sanctioned loan of Rs.3.4 lakh, a huge generator was dropped in the village by some businessman .
The villagers have now sought the intervention of higher officials, Ram Nayak, secretary, Laxman Nayak Gramya Unnayan Committee, said.


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