Increase in SRWP funds demanded
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: UDP legislator Metbah Lyngdoh has demanded that the funds earmarked for the Special Rural Work Programme (SRWP) should be increased from the existing Rs 1 crore to Rs 3 crore annually.
He said that the fund which is earmarked for each beneficiary under the programme is between Rs 25,000 to Rs 35,000.
“I do not think this amount is enough for the people to construct a proper dwelling house,” the UDP legislator said.
Informing that the Centre has recently increased the amount of a similar scheme known as the Indira Awaz Yojana (IAY), he said that the Centre has increased the amount of the scheme from Rs 48,500 to Rs 75,000.
“With the rural population benefiting from this low cost housing programme, it would not be a bad idea for the Government to consider increasing the amount,” Lyngdoh said while participating in the debate on the Governor Address in the Assembly on Monday.
Lyngdoh also demanded that the Government should consider the up gradation of the Mairang Civil Sub Division into a full fledged district.
“Being the oldest Civil Sub Division in the State, Mairang deserves to be upgraded into a full fledge district,” the Mairang legislator said.
He also asked the Government to complete the latest BPL list at the earliest, a survey for which, was done way back in 2001.
The Mairang legislator also stressed on the need to improve the education system in the State even as highlighting on the need to allocate funds to replace the old pumping machines with the new one in majority of the pumping scheme in the rural areas.