the goan I network
MAPUSA
Minister for Rural Development Jayesh Salgaonkar on Tuesday admitted on the floor of the House that a lot of work in the Rural Development Agency (RDA) department was pending due to staff constraints.
He also said that he had taken up the task to form a full-fledged new rural department which has already been approved.
“Initially, when the department came to existence there was 91 staff which then came down to 60. In another two years it will come down to 10. Due to restrictions imposed on recruitment all other works got held up,” Salgoankar said.
The rural development minister was responding to demand for grants in the legislative assembly.
“Implementation of state and central schemes is being affected and therefore my job is to finalise the formation of the department, which will have scope for new recruitment,” he said. He, however, assured that the strength of the department and the functioning of both DRDAs will improve.
The minister informed that to reach out to the poorest, the department has constructed 17,000 houses under the Indira Awas Yojana and the target this year was to construct another 761 houses. He further said under the national rural livelihood mission 3000 self-help groups were connected to 70 villages in the state.
The minister assured the House that strict action will be taken against those who have encroached on port land.
He said dredging has been proposed in the mouth of River Chapora, as demanded by fisherfolk there at Rs 5 crore and dredging was also proposed in River Sal and River Galgibag.
Salgaonkar also said that 20-point programme has been discontinued by the government but there were plans to set up new housing projects.
“Land is not an issue. There is lot of land with us. Government is going to set up affordable housing in the State,”
he said.
