Corona CG Update: Agriculture, water conservation, and water harvesting allowed in green zone after April 20
Chhattisgarh: On the instructions of panchayat and rural development minister T.S. singh deo, divisional principal secretary Gaurav Dwivedi has issued a circular to all the collectors and the chief executive officer of the district panchayats. He asked to assess the local conditions and ensure implementation of MNREGA works by following the necessary safety standards of social distancing and prevention of corona infection.
The guidelines, issued by the home ministry a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended the lockdown till May 3, has also allowed exceptions for construction activities and rural works under MNREGA to restart the economy in a graded manner.
New guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Rural Development for the implementation of MNREGA works and also for the protection of livelihoods activities of villagers amidst lock-down. According to the new guidelines, the field implementation of MNREGA works can be done by following social distancing and covering the face while working. Instructions have been given to start irrigation expansion and water conservation works on the top priority basis in the lock-down period.
Korba is the only district to fall under the Red zone, where no ease of lockdown restriction will be allowed. Apart from that 4 districts are now declared to be in the orange zone where limited ease on restrictions will be considered. The Panchayat and Rural Development Department have given clear instructions to collectors and Chief Executive Officers of District Panchayats to strictly follow the guidelines issued by the state government, along with these new guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Rural Development.
The Principal Secretary has given clear instructions in the circular to take priority the work of irrigation expansion, water conservation and water harvesting in other areas except the hot-spot areas affected by the coronavirus infection. These works include feeder canal, distributor canal, minor and sub-minor canal to increase irrigation facilities, construction work and various types of individual Water conservation works such individual and community check-dams, irrigation wells, street plugs, dubri, mini percolation tanks, recharge pits and water abortion trenches.
Circular also states that along with these works, water conservation, water harvesting and other works to develop irrigation facility can be started as described in the schedule of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act-2005.