Chandigarh: Haryana Development and Panchayats Minister Krishan Lal Panwar said Haryana will provide the highest daily wage in the country at Rs. 409 under the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G). He said that wage payments, which earlier took up to 15 days, will now be made within seven days. If negligence on the part of any official is established, a penalty of Rs. 10,000 will now be imposed, replacing the earlier provision of Rs. 1,000.
To curb irregularities, Krishan Lal Panwar said biometric attendance at worksites will be mandatory for all labourers. He further stated that with the launch of the scheme, Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has released Rs. 590.19 crore as the Central Government’s contribution, while the Haryana Government, under the guidance of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, has contributed nearly Rs. 370 crore.
Krishan Lal Panwar was addressing the State-level programme of the VB-G RAM G organised by the Haryana Rural Development Department at the auditorium of Shri Krishna AYUSH University in Kurukshetra on Thursday. On the occasion, he formally launched the VB-G RAM G scheme through the online system from the pond excavation work at Shahzadpur village in Kurukshetra. Union Minister, Sh. Shivraj Singh Chouhan also addressed the programme virtually.
Krishan Lal Panwar said the VB-G RAM G scheme was launched across the country on July 1, and the Haryana State-level launch was being held in the holy city of Kurukshetra. Eligible workers will be required to register online. After online registration, document verification and physical verification, employment will be provided within 15 days. Each eligible worker will be guaranteed 125 days of employment in a year. If employment is not provided within 15 days, the worker will get unemployment allowance. Wages under the scheme will be transferred directly to beneficiaries’ bank accounts. Labourers will also be entitled to 60 days’ leave during the sowing and harvesting seasons.
318 Categories of Works Can Be Undertaken Under VB-G RAM G
Krishan Lal Panwar said the primary objective of the VB-G RAM G scheme is to provide employment to rural households, promote water conservation, develop natural resources and strengthen rural infrastructure. The scheme covers works related to water conservation and water security, rural infrastructure, agriculture and livelihood activities, climate change adaptation and disaster mitigation, animal husbandry, fisheries, storage facilities, rural markets and skill development.
He said 318 categories of works have been approved under the scheme, and the list of all such works has already been circulated to departmental offices across the state.
Three Lakh Women Have Become ‘Lakhpati Didis’ in Haryana
Krishan Lal Panwar said the scheme places special emphasis on women. Funds can be utilised for women’s training-cum-skill development centres as well as for their work-related activities. Haryana has around 70,000 Self-Help Groups (SHGs). Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini has set a target of creating five lakh ‘Lakhpati Didis’ in the state, of which nearly three lakh women have already achieved the milestone.
Congress Opposed the Bill in Parliament
Krishan Lal Panwar said that when the VB-G RAM G Bill was introduced in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, the Congress was the first opposition party to oppose it. He alleged that the Congress believes in opposing every good initiative. He added that VB-G RAM G is not a new scheme but dates back to 1960. Over the years, several positive changes have been introduced in the scheme, and the latest reforms are a continuation of that process.
Suggestions Placed Before Union Minister
Krishan Lal Panwar said that during a two-day workshop with Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, he placed several suggestions regarding the VB-G RAM G scheme. He suggested that works under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana-IV (PMGSY-IV) should be integrated with VB-G RAM G He further proposed that a separate budget should be earmarked for the maintenance of roads after their construction and that such maintenance work should be carried out through the scheme.
He also suggested that the 60 per cent labour component in the material payment provision should be kept separate. He urged the removal of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) restriction on removing trees standing in the middle of roads. Referring to the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and the Mukhyamantri Awas Yojana, he said that after the first instalment is released, there is often a considerable delay in the release of the second and third instalments, leaving the houses of poor beneficiaries incomplete. He urged that these instalments be released expeditiously. Sh. Krishan Lal Panwar also recommended that all vacant posts connected with the implementation of the scheme be filled at the earliest.
Krishan Lal Panwar further said that at present the scheme provides only Rs. 25,000 in the event of the death of a worker while on duty. He suggested that this provision be replaced with an insurance cover of Rs. 2 lakh so that the family receives adequate financial assistance in the event of any unfortunate incident. He pointed out that under the Mukhyamantri Kisan Evam Khetihar Majdoor Jiwan Suraksha Yojana, the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board already provides Rs. 5 lakh as financial assistance in the event of the death of a worker.
