New minister for Employment Guarantee Scheme (EGS) Jaykumar Rawal said he planned to overhaul the department and would follow Madhya Pradesh state government’s model for the same.
Mr Rawal, who took charge in a temporary office at Vidhan Bhavan on Monday, said the new model would strike a balance between building assets and generation of employment.
In addition to the EGS department, Mr Rawal has also been allotted the tourism sector. Mr Rawal, who is also the chairman of state legislature EGC committee, said, he would change the EGS as it needed new norms according to the demands of the age.
“I had visited Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and studied deeply the norms of their scheme and its implementation,” he said.
Mr Rawal said while Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh had spent some Rs 20,000 crore for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA) in the last seven years, Maharashtra was unable to spend even Rs 2,000 crore.
Explaining his plan, Mr Rawal said, “If a farmer from a backward class constructs a well in his field under EGS, then he should be given water pump and electricity connection from the energy department.”
“Similarly, anybody could plant a tree, and then be paid to take care of it. He could also sell the fruits of the tree, as he would now own the tree. This could be implemented with the help of forest department,” he added.
“I have submitted the committee’s report to the chief minister recommending various schemes. As a committee chairman I have framed the policy, and as a Cabinet minister I can now get it approved with the support of the chief minister,” said Mr Rawal.
Mr Rawal said he was given the EGS portfolio because of his interest and request to the chief minister.
