Village in Latur wins National Panchayat Award for giving employment to residents under MGNREGS

Latur, Dec 5 (PTI) A village in Maharashtra's Latur has won the National Panchayat Award-2024 for stopping migration of local residents by providing employment to them under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), officials said on Thursday.

This village -- Ooti Budruk -- located in Ausa taluka, will be honoured with the award on December 11 in Delhi by President Droupadi Murmu, they said.

"Through the MGNREGS, the Ooti Budruk gram panchayat provided jobs to locals and through skill training endeavoured to improve the economic status of the poor. Special emphasis was given on providing employment opportunities through the Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samitis, benefiting the underprivileged communities," Latur Zilla Parishad's CEO Anmol Sagar said.

Recognising these efforts, the central government has declared Ooti Budruk as a poverty-free and livelihood enhancing village, he said.

Besides ensuring employment at the local level, the gram panchayat built shops and leased them at nominal rates. This initiative helped strengthen the local economy. The village has also focused on empowering women by forming self-help groups and providing skill development training. As a result, women are now finding self-employment opportunities in various cottage industries, officials said.

The gram panchayat also installed 10 solar water heaters on government buildings in the village, which ensures availability of free hot water to villagers. Besides that, the village boasts of well-paved roads and has installed 35 CCTV cameras for security purposes. A fully equipped computer centre has also been set up in the gram panchayat office.

"Ooti Budruk has consistently worked towards progress. This recognition is a testament to the village's collective efforts toward development. Other villages should take this as an example," ZP Deputy CEO Balasaheb Wagh said. PTI COR NP