In a bid to woo villagers to benefit from the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, the Orissa government on Tuesday decided to offer health insurance and a house under the Indira Awas Yojana to each labourer who completed 100 days work in a year, official sources said.
This was decided at a meeting of the State Employment Guarantee Council, chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
This apart, labourers completing 100 days work in a year would also be given priority to become members of Self Help Groups (SHGs) and in skill development training.
Targeting to provide 100-day jobs to about 20 lakh families this fiscal in the state, Rs 1,908 crore (Rs 19.08 billion) was earmarked against the previous year's Rs 917.95 crore (Rs 9.17 billion). About 13.85 lakh families were provided jobs last year, they said.
As many as 545.56 lakh labour days were created in 2009-10 and priority was on creation of more ponds, plantation and concrete roads for villages.
While about 50,000 ponds were created under the 'Mo Pokhari' (My Pond) scheme last year, this year digging of ponds would get priority, they said. Under the National Rural Employment Gurarantee Scheme, at least two big model tanks would be created in each gram panchayat at a cost of Rs 25 lakh.
The people who were getting land under the Forest Land Right Act would also get priority for creating of farm ponds in their jurisdiction.
On the alleged delay in payment to labourers, the meeting decided to make payment through banks by use of biometric cards, with the facility to be available in 1,000 gram panchayats in the first phase.
"NGOs and SHGs will be involved in social audit of NREGS," the chief minister said.
