GUWAHATI: Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today directed the Panchayat & Rural Development (P&RD) Department to evaluate the gaon panchayats (GPs) on the basis of their performance and develop a rating system for the GPs.
While reviewing progress of schemes implemented by the P&RD Department in a meeting held at its headquarter at Panjabari here, the Chief Minister further asked to fix responsibility and show cause those GP presidents, secretaries and chief executive officers of Zila Parishad who perform poorly in the assessment indices.
Calling for strict monitoring of schemes for fair utilization of funds, the Chief Minister directed the department to constitute a cell to monitor public complaints or graft charges that appear in print and electronic media against the rural development schemes. The cell would further take feedback from officials against whom allegations have been made to ascertain the veracity and initiate timely action against the erring officials, the Chief Minister said.
Stating the need for timely completion of schemes, Chief Minister Sonowal emphasised on the need for day-today collection of status report and instructed the department to develop a system for effective monitoring.
The P&RD officials informed the Chief Minister that as many as 48.35 lakh people were provided Job Cards in Assam and out of this around 42.17 % are female workers. They said that during the coronavirus induced nationwide lockdown, over 11 thousand SHGs produced 68.68 lakh masks and more than 52.22 lakh maskes were sold for Rs. 11.87 crore. Besides, more than 79 thousand SHG members earned 8.15 crore by selling vegetables, fruits, milk, egg, poultry meat and fish during lockdown.
