Fake job card issue, staff shortage dominate panchayat review meeting in Siliguri

Identification of fake job cards and ensuring welfare benefits reach genuine beneficiaries emerged as a key focus at a high-level review meeting chaired by panchayat and rural development minister Dilip Ghosh in Siliguri on Friday.

The meeting also reviewed the progress of development projects and administrative functioning in panchayat areas across five districts of north Bengal.

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Held at Mainak Tourist Lodge in Siliguri on Friday the meeting was attended by senior administrative officials from Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar districts.

Officials discussed measures to weed out fake job cards and streamline beneficiary selection under various welfare schemes. The minister stressed the need for greater transparency and accountability in the implementation of rural development programmes.

The meeting also focused on major schemes, including rural housing projects, toilet construction and road infrastructure development. Ghosh said funds for these projects had already been released and directed officials to expedite their implementation.

A major concern raised during the review was the shortage of personnel at the panchayat level. Several blocks were reported to be functioning without adequate technical staff, including engineers. To address the issue, the minister announced plans to recruit around 11,000 employees in the panchayat department.

Issues relating to housing for tea garden workers, strengthening panchayat infrastructure in the hill regions and improving delivery of government services in rural areas also came up for discussion.

The minister warned that elected panchayat representatives who fail to discharge their responsibilities or remain absent from offices regularly could face action, adding that administrative work would not be allowed to suffer due to non-performance.

The review meeting was aimed at accelerating development projects, ensuring transparent utilisation of government funds and making public services more effective and people-centric.