New Delhi, July 16, 2013: Ensuring sustained intervention for flood-ravaged Uttarakhand’s rehabilitation, Jairam Ramesh, Minister for Rural Development, approved Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna’s request earlier this month for a special relief package under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme.

According to the details of thispackage, the State can utilize a special labour budget package of Rs. 500 crore under MNREGA for disaster mitigation, over and above the budget of Rs. 450 cores which had been approved in 2013-14.

“There are 3 elements to our relief and rehabilitation intervention including rural roads, rural housing and MGNREGA.,” Mr. Ramesh told The Hindu .

People in disaster-hit villages of Uttarakhand will now get employment for 150 days instead of 100 days under the MGNREGA scheme.

The State will now maintain the 60:40 labour-to-material ratio at the district level instead of the Gram Panchayat / block level to facilitate construction of semi-permanent and permanent structures.

Source: The Hindu, DT. July 16, 2013.