A view of a road to Balpa village where the foundation stone for the first work shed for making pain relieving herbal oil and tailoring activity was laid under MGNREGA recently. more-in After using funds under the Union government’s flagship Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme for building open wells and construction of mini vented dams for re-charging groundwater on a mass scale, Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat has now planned to build work sheds for members of self-help groups to give fillip to rural economic activity under the scheme. It would build 30 such work sheds in five taluks in the current financial year. The foundation stone for constructing the first work shed for preparing pain relieving herbal oil and tailoring activity under the scheme was laid in Balpa village in Sullia taluk recently. According to M.R. Ravi, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the panchayat, it has identified rural economic activities or trades for which work sheds were required. The major activities identified include making pickle and papad, sale of fish, tailoring, making soap and toilet cleaners, preparing areca plates, cloth business, mini hotel business, making sambar powder and making embroidery works. The work sheds would come up under the jurisdiction of 30 gram panchayats. Each one of them would have 1,110 sq ft area with two halls, kitchen and washroom facilities. Each one to be called Sanjeevini shed, and with concrete roof, would cost about ? 13.25 lakh. The members of SHGs would be trained in the particular economic activity under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM). Later, the panchayat would market link the group for selling their produces. The group would also be linked with banks for raising funds for its activities. Referring to Pavoor near Mangaluru, he said that inland fishing activity thrived in the village. Hence, a work shed to sell fish would be built there. He said that in Amaramudnur village in Sullia taluk a work shed for apiculture activity and catering business has been proposed. In Kashipatna panchayat in Belthangady, a work shed for basket weaving has been proposed. The panchayat would use MGNREGA funds for raising nursery of 11 local mango varieties for saving them from extinction and distributing their saplings to people. It has been using the scheme for extension of horticultural crops in the district.

Stay updated with all the Latest Mangalore headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.