Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma Announces Major Development Push in Alwar District
In a significant move aimed at boosting rural infrastructure, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma conducted an extensive inspection of the village development camp held in Bahala village, located within the Ramgarh sub-division of Alwar district, on Sunday. During his visit, the CM made a series of high-impact announcements focused on accelerating local progress and enhancing public welfare.
Substantial Financial Allocation for Development Initiatives
The Chief Minister officially unveiled a comprehensive package comprising 201 distinct development projects, with a total financial outlay exceeding Rs 152 crore. This substantial investment is earmarked for a wide array of initiatives designed to uplift the socio-economic conditions in the region. Additionally, Sharma personally laid the foundation stones for numerous development works valued at more than Rs 89 crore, signaling the government's commitment to timely execution and tangible outcomes.
Public Address and Political Critique
Following the inspection, Chief Minister Sharma addressed a well-attended public gathering where he delivered a pointed critique of the opposition Congress party. He urged families from rural and agricultural backgrounds to encourage their children to pursue education with unwavering dedication, assuring that the youth would have complete opportunities and need not harbor any concerns about their future prospects.
In a particularly sharp rebuke, Sharma targeted the Congress for its opposition to the renaming of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme. He remarked that Congress legislators who contest the name change in the assembly "do not even know when a turban is tied on the head." Elaborating on this analogy, the CM explained that a farmer typically wears a ‘mundasa’ (a type of headgear) when carrying heavy loads or braving extreme weather conditions. "It is neither cold nor hot in the assembly," he quipped, questioning the logic behind donning such attire in the legislative chamber. Sharma emphasized that "tying a turban does not make anyone a farmer"; true farming identity stems from hands-on experience and labor in the fields.
Enhancements to Rural Employment Scheme
Shifting focus to policy reforms, the Chief Minister highlighted the transformative changes introduced under the VB-G Ram G framework, which succeeds the previous MGNREGA. He announced that villagers would now be entitled to 125 days of employment annually, a significant increase from the earlier provision of 100 days. This enhancement is part of a broader strategy to bolster rural livelihoods and economic stability.
Furthermore, Sharma assured that all operations under the new scheme would be conducted with full transparency and leverage modern technology to ensure that workers' wages are directly transferred to their bank accounts, eliminating delays and intermediaries. The initiative also aims to create permanent assets that will strengthen the foundational infrastructure of villages, contributing to long-term sustainable development.
In his concluding remarks, the CM asserted that the shortcomings observed in the previous MGNREGA implementation have been systematically addressed in the new legislation. He expressed confidence that the revamped scheme would serve as a powerful medium to realize the national resolve for a developed India, aligning local progress with broader visionary goals.
