In a bid to ensure preservation of natural resources, the National Advisory Council (NAC) on Thursday suggested two-thirds of all works in the rural jobs scheme be linked to development of water and land resources.

The Sonia Gandhi-led NAC also decentralisation of planning to natural village and hamlet level as a means to make villages leverage the workdays under the scheme.

The advisory panel made a strong recommendation to insist on two third investment on natural resource management.

"At least two-thirds of all works in financial terms at the block/mandal level under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) shall focus on the development of land and water resources to result in sustainable increase in productivity of such resources and incomes to the poor," said a NAC recommendation, which would soon be communicated to the government.

Deep Joshi, convenor of the working group on natural resources management, made a presentation on the topic in convergence with the MGNREGA.

Joshi also suggested that no other works will be taken by a gram panchayat under MGNREGA until natural resources management works based on hamlet level plans are implemented.

The NAC also suggested that MGNREGA plans shall override all other plans made for watershed development by any other agency, including government departments.

The Gandhi-led panel also pitched for systems of implementation to ensure greater say of key stakeholders, such as the wage seekers in deciding the type of works and the timing for their opening, in conformity with the provisions of the act.

"Mechanisms for capacity building to plan and implement natural resource development schemes shall be institutionalised with greater participation of civil society organisations working in the field," the NAC recommendation said.

Meanwhile, the NAC constituted a new working group on minority affairs with Harsh Mander as its convenor.

Earlier, Narendra Jadhav, convenor of the working group on Denotified and Nomadic Tribes, made a presentation on improving the condition of these tribes.

Jadhav was asked to further deliberate the matter in the working group.

Mirai Chatterjee and Aruna Roy made presentations on social security and pre-legislative consultations respectively.

The next meeting of the NAC is scheduled to be held on August 26.