GUWAHATI, Aug 11 - Though the COVID-19 pandemic has had its cascading effect on all fronts, Governor Jagdish Mukhi�s promise to continue developmental activities amid this health emergency has yielded fruits in all the districts of the Bodoland Territorial Area districts with the key indicators showing positive growth.
It may be noted that as Governor Professor Jagdish Mukhi took over the administration after expiry of the term of the BTC on April 27 this year. He has taken a proactive role in spearheading the socio-economic development of the BTAD. Since the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has hit the State hard with perpetual lockdowns slowing down the rate of economic activities, Professor Mukhi asked the Administrator, BTC Rajesh Prasad and the Principal Secretary, BTC Dr Siddharth Singh to draw up a road-map for the sustenance of economic activities there.
During the COVID-19 pandemic and its resultant lockdown, a total of 18,766 migrant labourers returned to the four districts of the BTAD and out of them 10,760 workers applied for job cards. Consequently, 10,538 people were given new job cards or were engaged against existing job cards. Though 1,772 persons showed their reluctance to receive job cards, 97.5 per cent of people who had applied for job cards were given the same under MGNREGA schemes.
It may also be noted that the Village Council Development Committees (VCDCs) have ceased to exist with the expiry of the term of the Council. It may further be noted that the Governor had received several complaints regarding misappropriation of job cards issued under MGNREGA and had asked the Administrator to designate the respective BDOs to take care of people�s welfare like handling of job cards that were primarily looked after by the VCDCs before their dissolution. The Governor even changed the erstwhile practice of keeping of the job cards with VCDCs, asking the Administrator to get hold of all of them from the VCDC functionaries and hand them over to the beneficiaries. This helped the job card holders to enjoy the benefits of MGNREGA schemes without getting trapped by middlemen.
Moreover, in the areas of housing, BTAD since April has shown progress in the implementation of the Prime Minister Awas Yojana (PMAY-Gramin) scheme. During the period starting from April 27, 6,382 houses were completed. Besides, 171 houses were also built in the tea garden areas. The Panchayati Raj and Rural Development in the Council is also working resolutely towards poverty alleviation becoming a ray of hope for the rural people who were badly hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
