Deepika Pandey Singh became the voice of Jharkhand at the Rural Development Conference
New Delhi/Ranchi: Deepika Pandey Singh, Jharkhand's Minister for Rural Development, Rural Works, and Panchayati Raj, forcefully raised several key issues concerning the state at the National Rural Development Conference held in Delhi. She presented demands to the Central Government regarding MGNREGA, the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, wage rates, rural industries, and the launch of a new scheme named after Mahatma Gandhi.
The Minister stated that the announcement to provide 125 days of employment under MGNREGA would only succeed if an adequate budget is allocated for it. She pointed out that payments amounting to approximately ₹900 crore under the MGNREGA 'material' head are pending with the Central Government, adversely affecting various development projects.
Deepika Pandey Singh suggested increasing the financial assistance under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana to ₹2 lakh and constructing houses using robust fabricated structures. She noted that this would enable beneficiaries to receive high-quality homes in a timely manner.
At the conference, she also demanded that the minimum wage for MGNREGA workers be raised to ₹433 per day. She argued that increasing workers' income is essential in light of rising inflation.
The Minister also emphasized the need to promote rural industries in Jharkhand. She highlighted that over 3.2 million women associated with Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in the state are doing excellent work in the livelihood sector. She stated that if rural industries receive encouragement, women could secure large-scale employment, and their products could gain access to national and international markets.
During the conference, Union Minister for Rural Development and Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan assured that positive action would be taken regarding the suggestions put forward by the Jharkhand government.
