Bridge gap through welfare programmes: Jairam

PHULBANI: Proper implementation of rural development programmes in the tribal-dominated district would help improve rapport between the tribals and the administration, said Union Minister for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh here on Sunday. He visited several places where anti-poverty programmes were being implemented. He interacted with labourers at the Mega Forest Nursery in Mulagudari village under Phulbani block.The labourers engaged under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) asked for an increase in the mandays so that they would get work for more days.Jairam expressed satisfaction at the growth of the nursery, which according to Divisional Forest Officer M.Yogojayananda has earned ` 3 lakh in the last two years from the selling of saplings.He asked the Forest Department officials to go for avenue plantation on either side of the roads constructed under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and bulk plantations in the 65,000 hectares of wasteland in the district.Jairam also inaugurated the Skills for Employment in Service Sector centre under State Employment Mission on the ITI premises.He visited the Skill and Employment in Apparel Manufacturing Centre being run there since March 2010, farm pond at Datpaju and mango plantation at Damerikia village.Jairam also inaugurated the Integrated Natural Resources Management (INRM) work under Orissa Tribal Employment Livelihood Programme at Gunjigam in K. Nuagaon block.He examined the works and plantations developed by the beneficiaries in the land allotted to them under the Forest Rights Act at Darupidia under Tikabali block.Commissioner-cum-Secretary of Panchayati Raj Department P. K. Jena, Rural Development Secretary S. N.Tripathy, Special Projects Director S. K. Lohani, Panchayati Raj Additional Secretary Arabinda Padhy and Kandhamal Collector Rajesh Pravakar Patil accompanied Jairam.