Take up such initiatives under development projects that can contribute to women empowerment: MP

KALABURAGI

Commending Vijayanagar Zilla Panchayat authorities for purchasing standposts from women self-help groups to display details of projects implemented under Jal Jeevan Mission in the district, Lok Sabha member from Ballari Y. Devendrappa said that such initiatives that can contribute to women empowerment should be taken up at each level, right from planning to implementation, of development projects and welfare programmes.

“In the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), a clear focus is given to the empowerment of rural poor women by including at least one woman from every household in a self-help group and taking up such projects that will be economically beneficial to women. However, the authorities in Vijayanagar district have taken up initiatives to involve women’s self-help groups in the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission. It is appreciable. If you purchase products produced by women’s self-help groups for the implementation of government projects, women will be economically benefited and the living standard of their household will see improvement,” Mr. Devendrappa said.

He was reviewing the progress of implementation of the Union government’s development works and welfare programmes at a DISHA (District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee) meeting in Hosapete on Monday.

Chief Executive Member of Vijayanagar Zilla Panchayat Harshal Bhoyar Narayanrao told the meeting that hundreds of works have been taken up under the Jal Jeevan Mission across the rural areas of the district and the administration has given training to women’s self-help groups to manufacture standposts required for displaying information of each work.

“As many as 160 standposts have come from Uttagi and another 190 from Mailara,” he said.

Mr. Devendrappa expressed unhappiness over work on buildings for anganwadis remaining incomplete at many places for the last eight years even after the required funds were released.

“A sum of around ₹16 crore has been released to build 115 anganwadi buildings. As per the latest reports, 88 anganwadis have been built at a cost of ₹10.35 crore. As many as 19 works are under way and eight works have not started. Why are you dragging on these works for years? If you don’t get plots to build structures, just sit with the Deputy Commissioner and sort it out, instead of sitting on files,” he said.