Seethakka Directs Officials to Prepare Eight-Month Employment Action Plan

Telangana Minister for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Seethakka conducted a high-level review of VB-G RAM G employment works in view of concerns surrounding El Niño. Panchayat Raj Special Chief Secretary Dana Kishore, Commissioner Divya Devarajan and senior engineering officials attended the meeting, while district rural development officers, executive engineers, deputy engineers and MPDOs joined through video conference. Seethakka directed officials to prepare an eight-month action plan and get ready to begin employment works from November 1. She instructed mandal-level committees to finalise their plans by October 29 or 30, prioritising projects according to local needs, seasonal conditions and workers’ convenience. Expressing displeasure over delays in starting works and issuing job cards, she warned that officials would face strict action for negligence, particularly in processing applications from eligible tribal families.

The minister called for prioritising village infrastructure, community halls, school compound walls, village organisation buildings, solar energy-related works, fodder facilities and drinking-water troughs for livestock. She also directed officials to repair canals to prevent water wastage, promote dryland crops where appropriate and involve sarpanches, panchayat secretaries and field assistants in planning and implementation. Rather than completing all works at once, she stressed the need for a phased schedule that would provide employment throughout the year and create lasting assets in villages. Special attention, she said, should be given to tribal areas, including work planning in line with the prescribed seven per cent work share under ITDA jurisdictions. Seethakka emphasised that eligible applicants should not be made to visit government offices repeatedly and that employment plans must follow clear timelines from selection to implementation.