Shivraj to interact with beneficiaries of rural development projects today

Union Minister for Agriculture, Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan will on Thursday interact with farmers and beneficiaries of rural development projects, with a special emphasis on the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

BJP leaders said the problems being faced by the MGNREGA beneficiaries and the poor implementation of the scheme were among the main reasons for the minister’s interaction with workers and officials.

On Thursday morning, Chouhan will visit Ransih Kalan village in Moga district to review the model village’s environment-sensitive practices. Later, he will interact with MGNREGA beneficiaries at KL Saigal Memorial Hall, Jalandhar, followed by a review meeting at the DAC complex with officials from central and state government. Then he will visit the Central Potato Research Institute at Badshahpur, Jalandhar. While the MGNREGA workers’ meeting shall be hosted by the BJP, the remaining are government events.

State BJP general secretary Anil Sarin said, “Various associations of MGNREGA workers have repeatedly approached us regarding being unable to enjoy proper benefits of the scheme. The minister will interact with beneficiaries to get a first-hand account of the difficulties they are facing.” State BJP chief Sunil Jakhar and working president Ashwani Sharma are also expected to be present at the meeting.