The Jammu and Kashmir administration released a sum of Rs. 183 crore to benefit the poor households under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA).
MGNREGA provides a legal guarantee for one hundred days of employment in every financial year to adult members of any rural household willing to do unskilled manual work at the statutory minimum wage.
A resident from Shopian said, "We are grateful to the Rural Development Department for releasing the payment directly to our accounts. As we live hand to mouth, we had no money, no savings at all. But now we are relieved of this stress by the department."
Sheetal Nanda, Secretary, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, said: " I hope this release from the government would be a big relief to the public in rural areas, particularly the vulnerable people who work as laborers.