MNREGA green drive in Patna

A project has been launched in Bihar to make structures - primarily water bodies - under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme climate resilient.

UK's Department for International Development (DFID) is providing technical assistance to the state in this project which aims to mitigate the adverse impact of climate change.

Christened "Infrastructure for Climate Resilient Growth (ICRG)", the project is being implemented in 35 blocks spread over West Champaran, Muzaffarpur, Madhubani, Begusarai, Katihar, Banka, Nalanda and Gaya districts. It would cover 3,076 villages spread over 522 panchayats of the selected blocks.

Sharing details of the initiative, an official in the rural development department said: "The design of the structures which are being created using the MNREGA fund is being made in a manner that would mitigate the adverse impact of climate change. Future projections have been kept in mind while preparing the design."

The rural development department is the nodal agency for implementing MNREGA in the state.

The initiative assumes significance for a state like Bihar where climatic factors affect life to a great extent in general and in rural areas in particular. While the north Bihar region faces flood fury almost every year, the southern parts generally face drought and even a slight change in climatic behaviour affects life to a great extent.

Keeping the state's vulnerability to climatic changes in mind, the ICRG is focusing on creating new water bodies and renovation of existing ones. Also, special schemes are being taken up that would help recharge groundwater and develop natural resources.

To orient the officials concerned about the aim of ICRG, the department recently held a meeting of deputy development commissioners of the districts concerned and programme officers of all the 35 blocks. Also, people from the engineering wings took part in the meeting in which the details were shared with them.

"We have identified 150 demonstration sites in 35 blocks for providing field training," said the official.