Imphal, April 25 2010: Apart from periodical benefits being reaped by job-card holders of national Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, project beneficiaries in Senapati district villages are being encouraged to save certain percentage of their wages for future use.

under the supervision of the Senapati District Administration, job card holders covered by the United Progressive Alliance's flag-ship programme are being introduced to a scheme of Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) starting with Saikul Block and the same programme being expanded to other pockets of the district.

It is informed that Saikul Block, where 255 villages have been covered by the UPA's flag-ship programme, have a total of 12,855 NREGS job card holders.

These job card holders have already purchased the LIC scheme that requires depositing Rs 550 each annually for a period of 10 years.

While introduction of the NREGS-LIC venture under the supervision of the District Administration had already begun in Paomata Block the same scheme is being envisioned to cover the entire district, said a source.

On maturity of the LIC scheme, savings by the Saikul Block policy holders would tip the Rs 15 crore mark and the collective investment is being aimed at future ventures for development of the villages.

Mention may be made that villagers covered so far and holding job cards of the NREGS are engaged in village level development works such as construction of road, drainage, water reservoir and plantation of cash crops with special emphasis on medicinal plants.

After information has been conveyed that Senapati district is the first in the State where the NREGS-LIC venture had been introduced, The Sangai Express during a recent spot inspection in the district's Laii village, which is close to Nagaland, came across villagers who sighed a sense of relief that the District Administration is making effort to alleviate their living conditions in the remote location.

Lying about 43 kilometres from the Imphal-Dimapur National Highway-39 and inhabited by the Paomai tribe Laii village has about 845 NREGS job card holders out of whom over 600 of them have already completed form fill-up formalities and subscribed Rs 550 each.

forty-five year old widow KH Nasou of the village confided that her earlier experience of burrowing money for education of her children has been lessened to a great extent after the introduction of NREGS programme in Laii as she could not only sustain her daily sustenance but could save as well.

She described an ongoing work for irrigation of a terrace cultivation site near Laimi river as the most significant development for Laii villagers.

apart from the canal construction, works being taken up within Laii village under NREGS include development of village road, construction of water reservoir, drainage and plantation of potato and trees.

Chairmen of the nearby Chingmai Khunou village A Maikho said through NREGS many in the village for the first time have taken up cattle rearing work in addition to 20-30 houses having CGI roof-top.

Moreover, out of the total of 635 job card holders in the village 400 of them have joined the LIC scheme and more are expected to purchase the scheme, the chairman added .

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