Rs 4,500 crore funds sanctioned for MGNREGA works through gram sabhas: Andhra CM Naidu

Kakinada: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday participated in one of the 13,226 gram sabhas (village meetings) held across the state here, and announced that Rs 4,500 crore funds will be sanctioned for the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) works.

The chief minister said that gram sabhas will approve 87 types of works and promised to spend more money if needed on the scheme.

“Through these meetings, we are taking sanctions for Rs 4,500 crore funds for this year. Across the state, gram sabhas will approve 87 kinds of works. If needed, more money will be spent,” Naidu said, addressing the gram sabha at Vanapalli village in BR Ambedkar Konaseema district.

Stating that MGNREGA has to provide work for all the people who demand it, the CM said it is the responsibility of the state government to ensure its implementation.

With Rs 4,500 crore funds, nine crore work days could be created for 54 lakh families through the rural employment guarantee scheme, the chief minister said.

Further, promising to transform villages in the next five years, he assured that 17,500 km of cement roads would be laid in all the villages and 10,000 km of drainage system would be built.

He also promised to lay 2,500 km of roads and build 1.5 lakh cattle sheds, as well as work towards raising the wages under the rural employment scheme.

Further, he vowed that his aim is to make sure that every house in the state is fitted with a gas connection, receives tap water and has a toilet, while also making other assurances.

According to Naidu, holding simultaneous statewise gram sabhas was the brainchild of deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan. The actor-politician participated in a gram sabha at Mysurivaripalle village in Annamayya district.

Inputs from PTI