Govt to relaunch job scheme in hills

TT, Calcutta, Oct. 9: The Bengal government has decided to re-launch the rural job scheme in the hills where people have been going through financial constraints because of the 104-day strike.

The decision comes after the government announced the board of administrators (BoA) to run the GTA with Binay Tamang at the helm.

In the absence of a proper panchayat system - to which polls haven't been held since 2005 - the government used to implement schemes in rural areas through the GTA but its first five-year term had ended.

Besides, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha under its leader Bimal Gurung had junked the GTA.

"Whatever the villagers earn through the 100 days' rural job scheme will be of immense help to them. The common people have been the worst sufferers of the strike, with no employment or income whatsoever for them during the strike," said a senior government official.

According to the plan, the GTA administrators will submit proposals for projects in particular areas to the hill body and funds for the same will be released at the earliest.

Sources said the government was banking on the rural job scheme as it was easier to be implemented than infrastructure projects such as roads, buildings or drinking water facilities.

The government is likely to invest Rs 50 crore in different schemes in the hills over the next few months.

"We will also take up bigger projects like construction of roads and buildings... but it would take some months to implement them. Right now, the goal is to ensure an opportunity of earning for the rural people," an official said.

Although there are two tiers in the panchayat system in the hills - gram panchayat and panchayat samiti - they have been defunct in the absence of elections since 2005.

"The state needs to pump in money to give a boost to the economy in the hills.... We are trying to do it at the earliest," said another official. (Photo Courtesy: Sikkim Now)