Pathanamthitta district panel approves Rs 147.28-crore first labour budget

PATHANAMTHITTA: The district panchayat committee of Pathanamthitta district has approved the first labour budget for the financial year 2018-19 earmarking a total of Rs 147.28 cr.

MNREGA envisages providing 34.25 lakh job days for the rural population in 53 grama panchayats in eight blocks of the district.

“A total of 53,265 families will be given jobs by spending Rs 14,728.79 lakh. The project has given priority to natural resource maintenance and water conservation and drought management works. Creating permanent assets has also been given priority in the budget approved,” said G. Krishnakumar, poverty eradication project director.

The Parakkode block has been allotted the highest number of job days with 11,52,360 while it is least in Elanthoor block with 1,94,467 job days.

The project also includes facilities to intervene in small agricultural plots with a minimum area of 5 acres bringing the works under environmental conservation.

Pond construction for agriculture, well digging, stone bunds, and land development have also been included in such works. Works in the land owned by those in the BPL list, SC and ST, Pradhanmanthri Avaz Yojana beneficiaries, and small scale farmers will also be undertaken.