New Delhi/Sri Vijaya Puram, June 11: The Andaman and Nicobar Islands have been allocated ₹4.44 crore as part of a nationwide rural development package worth ₹95,692 crore announced by the Centre ahead of the launch of a new rural employment and livelihood framework from July 1.
Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced the allocation while chairing a virtual meeting of Rural Development Ministers from states and Union Territories to review preparations for the implementation of the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin).
The Centre said the interim allocation is in addition to ₹30,000 crore already provided under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), taking the total rural development outlay beyond ₹1.25 lakh crore.
According to Chouhan, the funds are intended to support employment generation, creation of rural assets and village-level development works across nearly 2.8 lakh gram panchayats in the country.
For the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the ₹4.44 crore allocation forms part of the ₹1,291.32 crore earmarked collectively for Union Territories. Jammu and Kashmir received ₹1,151.02 crore, Ladakh ₹85.98 crore, Puducherry ₹40.56 crore, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu ₹9.02 crore, and Lakshadweep ₹0.32 crore.
The new framework, scheduled to come into effect from July 1, is aimed at ensuring a smoother and more worker-centric approach to rural employment and development. Chouhan said the Centre wanted to ensure timely wage payments, protection of workers’ rights and uninterrupted implementation of development projects during the transition.
He urged states and Union Territories to grant advance approvals for development works so that implementation can begin immediately once the new arrangement comes into force.
The minister also highlighted the importance of digital preparedness, noting progress made by several states in adopting Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), e-KYC verification, face authentication and SMS-based information systems.
During the meeting, Chouhan directed states to achieve 100 per cent e-KYC compliance, notify agricultural peak seasons and conduct awareness and capacity-building programmes at district and block levels. He also emphasised that employment generation and wage payments under MGNREGA should continue without disruption until July 1.
The Centre said development projects under the new framework would be identified and prioritised through gram sabhas and gram panchayats, with a focus on creating durable rural assets while generating employment opportunities.
Among the states, Uttar Pradesh received the highest allocation at ₹12,221.48 crore, followed by West Bengal at ₹8,508 crore, Tamil Nadu at ₹7,957.57 crore and Andhra Pradesh at ₹7,707.21 crore.
An additional ₹1,850.62 crore has been earmarked for central administration and social audits, taking the total interim allocation to ₹95,692.31 crore.
The allocation is expected to support ongoing efforts to strengthen rural infrastructure, livelihoods and employment opportunities in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, while aligning local development initiatives with the broader national vision of “Viksit Bharat – Gramin Bharat”.
With the new framework set to begin next month, officials are expected to focus on ensuring that approved projects are ready for implementation and that workers continue to receive employment opportunities and timely wages throughout the transition period.
