Only women to be appointed as mates under MGNREGA: Minister

Jalandhar, October 17

Punjab Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Kuldeep Dhaliwal announced that only women would be appointed as mates in villages under the MGNREGA scheme to further empower women in the Panchayati Raj institutions in the state.

Presiding over a seminar on the topic of women empowerment held here at DAVIET, the minister said the state government would also reserve 50 per cent of panchayat secretary’s posts for women candidates during the upcoming recruitment drive.

Dhaliwal also said double grants would be given to those women sarpanches, who had performed outstandingly in their field. He also urged women panchayat members themselves keep the charge as sarpanches and panches by shunning the practices of letting their husband, father-in-law, and brother take the lead and handle most of their roles and responsibilities in the field.

Meanwhile, women sarpanches, panches, block smiti and zila parishad members from Jalandhar and Kapurthala districts also honoured the minister with ‘Vikas Purush’ award.

The minister also handed over a cheque worth Rs 12.25 lakh to as many as 55 self-help groups as revolving funds to further encourage them to achieve their goals.

Prominent amongst others present on the occasion included Nakodar MLA Inderjit Kaur Mann, Kartarpur legislator Balkar Singh, Rural Development and Panchayat Department Director Gurpreet Singh Khaira.

What’s work of mate?

The job of a mate is to supervise workers, take daily attendance and maintain a record of who does how much work.