Telangana flagship schemes not in new NREGA software

KHAMMAM: Flagship programmes of Telangana government, like Palle Prakruthi Vanam, Vaikuntadhamam, Rythu Vedika and dry platforms in fields; cannot henceforth be executed as MGNREGA works.

As long as the state government used Ragas software, there was provision for execution of these programmes under NREGA. However, the state government has switched over to NIC (National Information Centre) software from January 29.

With this, flagship programmes of TS cannot be implemented under MGNREGA. State government itself will have to fund them.

Incidentally, the government had succeeded in completing 129 Rythu Vedikas using the old software and obtained central funds under NREGA. Likewise, funds have also come for Palle Prakruthi Vanam in 312 villages, apart from Vaikuntadhamams in 215 villages.

These schemes are no longer there in the NIC software, though there are 260 works that can be taken up under MGNREGA. These include playgrounds for community, school compound walls, water absorbing trenches, de-silting of tanks and irrigation channels, bitumen top roads for community, stabilisation of ponds, renovation of fishery ponds and nursery plantations.

Mandal parishad development officers (MPDOs) are responsible for sending information on such works with photos using smartphones to higher officials through the new NIC software. All officers have not yet acquired mastery over the software.

Khammam DRDA project director M. Vidyachandana said field employees have to get accustomed to the new software, though some glitches have been observed. She, however, made it clear that MGNREGA works are going on full swing in Khammam district.