The Ministry of Rural
Development has released Rs. 558.98 lakh to Orissa as central
share of assistance under Employment Assurance Scheme – watershed
Component under Integrated Wasteland Development Programme.
While Sonepur district
gets Rs. 208.68 lakh Nuapada district Rs.350.30 lakh. These funds
will be utilized for completion of ongoing Watershed Projects,
taken up prior to April 1st 1999 in the two districts.
The expenditure on implementation of the programme is to be shared
on 75:25 basis between the Centre and the State respectively.
The development of
wastelands and degraded lands under the programme is expected
to promote employment generation in the rural areas besides enhancing
the participation of people at all stages leading to sustainable
development of land and sharing of the benefits.
The Ministry has
also released Rs. 19.70 lakh under Drought Prone Areas Programme
(DPAP) for Sonepur district for implementing six projects during
2002-03. The Ministry has released Rs. 60.75 lakh out of its share
of Rs. 135.00 lakh towards the district, for the programme.
