Wardha plans 100 Jalatara works in every gram panchayat to tackle drought and create jobs

Wardha district received less rain this monsoon, and people in the district will have to face drought in the coming days. To deal with the situation and to give work to those who need it, the district administration has begun preparations.

On the concept of Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer Parag Soman, every gram panchayat in the district has been told to take up 100 Jalatara works. Across the district's 521 gram panchayats, these works will eventually generate about 8.33 lakh person-days of employment.

Jalatara is considered an important initiative to ensure that every drop of rain is conserved and sinks into the ground. In the coming period, labourers too will feel the heat of the drought. The aim is to fight the drought and to make every drop go into the ground. Soman has directed the block development officers of all eight panchayat samitis in the district to ensure that every gram panchayat takes up 100 Jalatara works. In line with these directions, rural water conservation works will be carried out mainly in all eight tehsils of the district. Those in need will get work in their own villages.

Works numbering 11,479 have been approved for five years. Various works are to be carried out in the district under the VB-G RAM G scheme. For the five years from 2026-27 to 2030-31, the administration has approved 11,479 works through the Zilla Parishad, that is, through the gram panchayats. These works will create 20 lakh 37 thousand 440 person-days of employment. The administration is trying to complete most of these works during this drought period itself.

Anyone who asks will get work. During the drought, the Zilla Parishad will try to give work to every beneficiary eligible for employment under the scheme. As soon as a registered labourer files a demand for work, it will be acted on immediately and work will be provided.

At present, 8,722 different works are under way in the district under the scheme. To deal with the drought, the panchayat department of the Zilla Parishad has sent a proposal for 5,762 works to the District Collector for approval.

Dr Gyanada Phansay, Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Panchayat) of the Wardha Zilla Parishad, said, "To fight the drought, each of the district's 521 gram panchayats will take up 100 Jalatara works. The aim behind this is that needy villagers get work in their own villages. Anyone who asks will be given work."