Punjab School Education dept will create school infra through MGNREGA workers: Singla

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], July 12 (ANI): Punjab Education Minister Vijay Inder Singla on Sunday informed that the Punjab School Education Department will involve MNREGA workers for creating assets of elementary schools on mission mode.
A press release issued by the Information and Public Relations Department of the Punjab Government stated that the initiative will aim at alleviating the suffering of the people in rural areas.
"In a cabinet meeting headed by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, it was decided that the state government will converge its funds under various flagship programs to pursue its 2020-2022 Strategy for Rural Transformation and boost employment and push development in villages in the stressed post-COVID environment through active involvement of Village, Block and Zila Panchayats," the press release quoted the Education Minister.
The release also added that under the drive, the Department of School Education had been authorised as an independent implementing agency to carry out permissible works in schools such as construction/repair and maintenance of compound wall, construction of parks, and playground, etc.
The Minister further informed that this drive will create transformational changes in school infrastructure. All the deputy commissioners-cum-DPC MGNREGA have been asked for personal intervention to make this program a success.
Moreover, the rural development department will deploy one technical assistance in each district for the sectoral program, who will coordinate with officials of the School Education Department.
Singla emphasised to ensure that work funded under the MNREGA shall be performed by using manual labour instead of machines. No contractors to be involved at any stage of implementing the wage project on the site, he said. (ANI)