Create model village panchayats with assets built under MGNREGS, says Su. Thirunavukkarasar

Tiruchi district admin focus on model village panchayat to promote durable community assets under MGNREGS. Collector Pradeep Kumar said district tops State in person-days generated. Smart Cities Mission, air quality index, Jal Jeevan Mission discussed. 91.53% of works in phase 2 of underground drainage project completed. TNPCB to set up 5 real-time particulate matter counters. Steps taken to provide functional household tap connections to remaining villages.

The Tiruchi district administration should focus on creating a model village panchayat in each block to promote various durable community assets built under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), said Tiruchi Lok Sabha MP Su. Thirunavukkarasar, here on Saturday.

Speaking at the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meeting at the Tiruchi Collectorate, Mr. Thirunavukkarasar emphasised deploying the additional MGNREGS workforce for other constructive works beyond the regular tasks in rural areas.

Collector M. Pradeep Kumar said Tiruchi district tops the State with the highest number of person-days generated under the MGNREGS in the ongoing financial year. Against the target of 79 lakh person-days, employment has been provided for over 1.5 crore lakh person-days in the district, which is 190% more than the target.

Other issues discussed during the meeting include the implementation of the Smart Cities Mission by the Tiruchi Corporation, setting up live particulate matter counters in the city to measure the air quality index and the progress of the Jal Jeevan Mission in rural areas.

Out of the 83 works taken up under the Smart Cities Mission, the Corporation has completed 67 projects till November. A senior Corporation official said steps were underway to complete 12 out of 16 pending works by December.

Nearly 91.53 % of works in phase 2 of the underground drainage project have been completed, with pipeline laying works for only 4 kms remaining, said the official, adding under phase 3, the civic body has completed 79.44% of the work. Steps are under way to complete the remaining 13 kms of work before March next year.

Mr. Pradeep Kumar directed the officials from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to take expeditious steps to establish five real-time particulate matter counters to measure and display the levels of air quality in the city. He stressed that proper measurement of air quality is fundamental for targeted intervention to reduce pollution levels in the city and to create awareness among the members of the public.