Media workshop delves into VB-G RAM G

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Feb 11 :  The Press Information Bureau, Regional Office Imphal today hosted a media workshop on Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) for media persons of Thoubal, Chandel, Tengnoupal and Kakching districts at Kshetri Shanglen, Thoubal.
The workshop was formally inaugurated in the presence of Moirangthem Priyaroshni, MCS, Assistant Commissioner, Thoubal; Engam Pame , IIS, Director PIB, Imphal; Leiphrakpam Ramesh Singh, Executive Engineer/State Nodal Officer, State Level Monitoring Cell, Secretariat RD and PR Department and president of Editors’ Guild Manipur, Khogendra Khomdram  as presidium members.
Delivering the keynote address, Engam Pame highlighted that the VB GRAM G aims to overhaul MGNREGA 2005, guaranteeing 125 days of rural employment and focusing on infrastructure, digital accountability, and asset creation to achieve Viksit Bharat goals by 2047.
“The Vartalap (workshop) is a part of The Press Information Bureau's (PIB) continued outreach efforts to empower people by disseminating information," he said.
Acknowledging the important role the media fraternity plays, he said, “Media persons are good storytellers and we know that stories have the potential to empower people and restore people's dignity.
“We are not just here for the sake of having a program, but with a purpose: to reach out, to give something back to society through your initiation. If we do that, we will be practically fulfilling the National objectives of the Government of India,” he said.
Attending the programme as the chief guest, Moirangthem Priyaroshni also expressed happiness to be able to attend the event.
Maintaining that such a programme helps many, including officers to acquaint with the newly introduced welfare scheme, she expressed hope that the programme will play a crucial role in effectively disseminating key objectives of the scheme (VB-G RAM G) to the rural masses.
The inaugural session was followed by a technical session with Leiphrakpam Ramesh Singh, Executive Engineer/State Nodal Officer, State Level Monitoring Cell, Secretariat RD and PR Department elaborating on (VB-G RAM G).
 Leiphrakpam Ramesh Singh discussed the evolution of rural employment schemes before MGNREGA was adopted in 2005 to the conceptualization of VB-GRAM G.
He highlighted that the changing socio-economic condition, rising aspirations of the people and saturation of work programme led to the overhaul of MGNREGA and development of VB-GRAM G.
 He said that VB-GRAM G will transform the demand-driven approach of MGNREGA to a more objective, outcome-based, and target-oriented framework, he said
Ramesh highlighted the salient features of VB-GRAM G including increased guaranteed workdays (125 from 100), normative funding allocations (pre defined funding based on objective parameters for better fiscal planning), strategic focus on asset creation, seasonal agricultural pause (60-day break during peak time of sowing and harvesting), digital and transparent implementation, weekly wage payment, mandatory unemployment allowance etc.
Responding to some queries pertaining to fraud cases raised by the attending journalists, Leiphrakpam Ramesh said that such matters can be raised with an Ombudsman designated for every district and they will address the issues.
Speaking as the resource person in the second technical session, Khogendra Khomdram, who is also the Editor of The Sangai Express (Manipuri edition), highlighted the need for chances in the MGNREGA based on the changing socio-economic condition of the rural population and to keep pace with contemporary needs.
He also emphasized the importance of asset creation and addressing loopholes in implementation, such as concentration of job cards and apprehension of fraud, fake attendance etc.
The new Act will surely focus on developing core rural infrastructure and help in realising the objective of Viksit Bharat as India cannot be called developed without developing rural areas, he added.
Stressing on the need for ethical and sensible reporting, he also maintained that journalists can play a pivotal role in introducing the new Act to the general mass and help in clearing doubts surrounding it.
The programme concluded with Moirangthem Rustum, Assistant Director, FO, CBC, Chandel revisiting the key takeaways from the speeches of the two resource persons.