The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Rangpur

The government's huge ongoing social safety net programmes and early harvest of short duration paddies have created huge employment opportunities to combat seasonal monga in greater Rangpur this year. Concerned officials told BSS on Tuesday that the people of the poverty- prone area are not facing any taste of monga as the employment generation programme (EGP) is being implemented with full transparency and effectiveness.

The steps include the ongoing 40-day EGP, VGF and VGD programmes, various allowance programmes and early harvesting of short duration varieties paddy including BRRI Dhan- 33 and BINA Dhan 7 in vast areas. Development works under the EGP at Taka 75.95 crore have been continuing smoothly without any irregularities and corruptions in Rangpur, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha and Nilphamari districts following strict steps taken by the administration. Under the EGP, the government has allocated Taka 23,90,48,000 for the listed beneficiaries in Rangpur, Taka 21,79,32,000 for Kurigram, Taka 2,90,64,000 for Lalmonirhat, Taka 6,68,12,000 for Gaibandha and Taka 20,40,96,000 for Nilphamari.

A total of 1,89,238 beneficiaries including men and women have been working in infrastructure development projects in full swing for five days in a week to get Taka 100 per day as wages and the EGP will continue till December 15 next. In Rangpur, a total of 59,762 beneficiaries have been working under a total of 747 projects in all 83 unions of all eight upazilas under the EGP," District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer (DRRO) Mokhlesur Rahman said. "We are strictly monitoring the ongoing EGP works, taking accounts daily in the afternoon and Taka 500 is being distributed to each of the beneficiaries for his or her five-day works at a time on every Thursday," he said. Till last Thursday, we have distributed Taka 5,88,25,100 among the beneficiaries and a total of 7,44,279 man-days have been consumed till Monday, the DRRO added.

The deputy commissioner of Rangpur said that the distribution of 3,942 tonnes VGF rice was completed before the last Eid-ul-Fitr among 1,97,100 distressed families and distribution of more 2,136 tonnes VGF rice among 2,13,604 families will be completed by November 15 in Rangpur. Besides, 17,996 destitute women have been getting 25-kg fortified ata or 30-kg rice every month under the VGD programme in Rangpur, the DRRO said adding that more people are being benefited under various programmes of other departments.

Meanwhile, harvest of short duration BRRI Dhan-33, BINA-7 and other paddies cultivated by two lakh farmers on 56,000 hectares is nearing completion now in greater Rangpur creating huge job opportunities for 17 lakh farm-labourers during this monga season.

"Harvesting of these 115-120 day duration paddies began from last September and expected to complete by mid-November when harvesting of the traditional T-Aman paddy will begin and the lean period will disappear," rice scientist Dr MA Mazid said. "The farmers are getting average yield rates in between four to five tonnes per hectare for BRRI Dhan 33, five to 6.5 tonnes per hectare for BINA Dhan 7 and about 5 tonnes per hectare for BU Dhan 1 this season," senior agro-scientists on Tuesday told BSS. The government's initiative for expanded farming of short duration paddies have been proved to be very effective this year for eradicating monga by creating jobs for the farm- labourers and early paddy harvests through farm activities, they said.