<span style="color: #222222;">Besides 256 listed projects under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Sikkim government intends to rejuvenate rural economy through cultivation of crops, irrigation and water conservation works such as construction of farm ponds and water absorption trenches for individuals and at the community level to generate employment in rural areas.<br />'' <br />'' Speaking to AIR in Gangtok, principal secretary of rural development department CS Rao today said that the state government is issuing guidelines to block development officers and panchayats for optimal use of MGNREGA manpower. The guidelines intend to create employment generation and undertake works with locally available materials.<br />'' <br />'' Mr Rao said that the government intends to rejuvenate the agriculture, floriculture and horticulture sectors by encouraging the cultivation of crops such as oranges and cardamom to boost the rural economy.<br />''<br />''At present, 82,792 job card holders have been registered under the MGNREGA schemes, of which 58,000 people are active in these sectors. Mr Rao said that utilising full manpower available for these sectors can help in rural job creation. He added that 1.30 lakh rural people have received relief during the lockdown.</span><br />