(1) At every Panchayat at intermediate level, the State Government shall appoint a person who is not below the rank of Block Development Officer with such qualifications and experience as may be determined by the State Government as Programme Officer at the panchayat at intermediate level.
(2) The Programme Officer shall assist the Panchayat at the intermediate level in discharging its functions under this Act and the Scheme made thereunder.
(3) The Programme Officer shall be responsible for matching the demand for employment with the employment opportunities arising from works in the area under his jurisdiction.
(4) The Programme Officer shall prepare an aggregate plan for the Block under his jurisdiction by consolidating the approved Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans and the proposals received from intermediate panchayats.
(5) Without prejudice to the generality of sub-section (2), the functions of the Programme Officer shall include---
(a) monitoring all works and projects undertaken by the Gram Panchayats and other implementing agencies within the Block, ensuring alignment with the Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans;
(b) sanctioning and ensuring payment of unemployment allowance to eligible households in accordance with the provisions of this Act;
(c) ensuring prompt and fair payment of wages to all labourers employed under the Scheme within the Block, including through digital and biometric authenticated payment systems, as may be specified by the Central Government;
(d) ensuring that regular social audits of all works within the jurisdiction of each Gram Panchayat are conducted by the Gram Sabha, and that timely and appropriate action is taken on objections and findings arising from such audits;
(e) dealing promptly with all complaints and grievances relating to the implementation of the Scheme within the Block, through the grievance redressal mechanisms established under sub-section (1) of section 25 of this Act;
(f) ensuring the geo-tagging, digital recording, and management information system reporting of all works undertaken within the Block, and compliance with monitoring, productivity, and transparency framework, specified by the Central Government under this Act;
(g) facilitating inter-departmental convergence at the Block level to support saturation-driven planning and the execution of works under the Scheme; and
(h) any other function as may be assigned to him by the District Programme Coordinator and the State Government under this Act.
(6) The Programme Officer shall perform his function under the direction, control and superintendence of the District Programme Coordinator.