Mgnrega

Table of Contents INTRODUCTION 2 OBJECTIVE OF THE ACT 2 NREGA GOALS 2 SALIENT FEATURES OF THE ACT 3 COMMUNICATION OF NREGA 4 KEY AGENCIES AND THEIR ROLES 5 The Works 9 ELIGIBILITY 10 APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION AND ISSUANCE OF JOB CARDS 10 APPLICATION FOR WORK AND ALLOCATION OF EMPLOYMENT 11 CRITERIA FOR ALLOCATION/RELEASE OF FUNDS 11 FUNDING PATTERN 12 PAYMENT OF WAGES 12 PAYMENT OF UNEMPLOYMENT ALLOWANCE 12 Major Achievements made during the year 2008-09 and 2009-10 (upto February, 2010) 17 Achievements during 2008-09 17 Achievements during 2009-10 (upto February, 2010) 18 CONCLUSION 21 BIBILIOGRAPHY 22 INTRODUCTION Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) Evolving the design of the wage employment programmes to more effectively fight poverty, the Central Government formulated the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in 2005. With its legal framework and rights-based approach, MGNREGA provides employment to those who demand it and is a paradigm shift from earlier programmes. Notified on September 7, 2005, MGNREGA aims at enhancing livelihood security by providing at least one hundred days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. The Act covered 200 districts in its first phase, implemented on February 2, 2006, and was extended to 130 additional districts in 2007- 2008. All the remaining rural areas have been notified with effect from April 1, 2008. OBJECTIVE OF THE ACT The objective of the Act is to enhance livelihood security in rural areas by providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. NREGA GOALS – Strong social safety net for the vulnerable groups by providing a fall-back employment source, when other employment alternatives are scarce or inadequate. – Growth engine for sustainable development of an agricultural economy. Through the process of providing employment on works that address causes of chronic poverty such as drought, deforestation and soil erosion, the Act seeks to strengthen the natural resource base of rural livelihood and create durable assets in rural areas. Effectively implemented, NREGA has the potential to transform the geography of poverty. – Empowerment of rural poor through the processes of a rights-based Law – New ways of doing business, as a model of governance reform anchored on the principles of transparency and grass root democracy. Thus, NREGA fosters conditions for inclusive growth ranging from basic wage security and recharging rural economy to a transformative empowerment process of democracy. SALIENT FEATURES OF THE ACT i. Adult members of a rural household, willing to do unskilled manual work, may apply for registration in writing or orally to the local Gram Panchayat. ii. The Gram Panchayat after due verification will issue a Job Card. The Job Card will bear the photograph of all adult members of the household willing to work under NREGA and is free of cost. iii. The Job Card should be issued within 15 days of application. iv. A Job Card holder may submit a written application for employment to the Gram Panchayat, stating the time and duration for which work is sought. The minimum days of employment have to be at least fourteen. v. The Gram Panchayat will issue a dated receipt of the written application for employment, against which the guarantee of providing employment within 15 days operates. vi. Employment will be given within 15 days of application for work, if it is not then daily unemployment allowance as per the Act, has to be paid liability of payment of unemployment allowance is of the States. vii. Work should ordinarily be provided within 5 km radius of the village. In case work is provided beyond 5 km, extra wages of 10% are payable to meet additional transportation and living expenses. viii. Wages are to be paid according to the Minimum Wages Act 1948 for agricultural labourers in the State, unless the Centre notifies a wage rate which will not be less than Rs. 60/ per day. Equal wages will be provided to both men and women. ix. Wages are to be paid according to piece rate or daily rate. Disbursement of wages has to be done on weekly basis and not beyond a fortnight in any case. x. At least one-third beneficiaries shall be women who have registered and requested work under the scheme. xi. Work site facilities such as crèche, drinking water, shade have to be provided. xii. The shelf of projects for a village will be recommended by the gram sabha and approved by the zilla panchayat. xiii. At least 50% of works will be allotted to Gram Panchayats for execution. xiv. Permissible works predominantly include water and soil conservation, afforestation and land development works. xv. A 60: 40 wage and material ratio has to be maintained. No contractors and machinery is allowed. xvi. The Central Government bears the 100 percent wage cost of unskilled manual labour and 75 percent of the material cost including the wages of skilled and semi skilled workers. xvii. Social Audit has to be done by the Gram Sabha. xviii. Grievance redressal mechanisms have to be put in place for ensuring a responsive implementation process. xix. All accounts and records relating to the Scheme should be available for public scrutiny. IMPLEMENTATION OF NREGA:  Central Government 3/4th, State Government 1/4th Adult members of rural households submit their name, age and address with photo to the Gram Panchayat.  The Gram panchayat registers households after making enquiry and issues a job card. The job card contains the details of adult member enrolled and his /her photo.  Registered person can submit an application for work in writing (for at least fourteen days of continuous work) either to panchayat or to Programme Officer.  The panchayat/programme officer will accept the valid application and issue dated receipt of application, letter providing work will be sent to the applicant and also displayed at panchayat office.  The employment will be provided within a radius of 5 km: if it is above 5 km extra wage will be paid.  If employment under the scheme is not provided within fifteen days of receipt of the application daily unemployment allowance will be paid to the applicant. COMMUNICATION OF NREGA – Awareness generation through Information, Education and Communication ( IEC ) For people to know their rights under the Act, effective communication of information about the Act and Scheme is essential. – For awareness generation every State Government will undertake an intensive Information Education Communication (IEC) exercise to publicize the key provisions of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) and procedures to be followed like the process of registration, demand for employment, unemployment allowance, grievance redressal and social audit. – This IEC should target workers, rural households, PRIs and pay special attention to deprived areas and marginalized communities. The State Government should draw up an IEC Plan and develop communication material designed to help people articulate their demand and claim their entitlements. – Information should be widely disseminated, specially in remote areas, SC/ST hamlets through TV, radios, films, print media including vernacular newspapers, pamphlets, brochures. While intensive communication should precede the introduction of the Act, communication is also an integral part of the implementation process, aimed at13 making this legislation a ‘ People’s Act’. The effectiveness of this communication process will be evident in the extent to which people who need work under this Act register and apply for work. Other signs of successful communication include the active involvement of local communities at every stage, prompt grievance redressal, vigilant social audits by the Gram Sabhas, and wide use of the right to information. KEY AGENCIES AND THEIR ROLES CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – Make Rules. – Issue Guidelines. – Notify areas of application of Act. – Communication. – Budget Provision for and Release of Central share. – Set up Central Employment Guarantee Council. – Set up Central Employment Guarantee Fund – Facilitate technical support. – Monitoring and Evaluation and Research. CENTRAL EMPLOYMENT GUARANTEE COUNCIL – Establish a central evaluation and monitoring system. – Advise the Central Government on all matters concerning the implementation of this Act. – Review the monitoring and redressal mechanisms from time to time and recommend improvements required. – Promote the widest possible dissemination of information about the Schemes made under this Act. – Monitor the implementation of this Act. – Prepare of annual reports to be laid before Parliament by the Central Government on the implementation of this Act. – Any other duty or function as may be assigned to it by the Central Government. – The Central Council shall have the power to undertake evaluation of the various Schemes made under this Act and for that purpose collect or cause to be collected statistics pertaining to the rural economy and the implementation of the Schemes. STATE GOVERNMENT – Make Rules on matters pertaining to state responsibilities under the Act(32(1)). – Make and notify the Rural Employment – Communication. – Set up the State Employment Guarantee Council. – Set up the State Employment Guarantee Fund. – Budget Provision for and Release of State share. – Planning and implementation of Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. – Provide technical support. – Training. – Pay Unemployment Allowance if employment is not given within 15 days despite adequate funds being available. – Monitoring and Evaluation and Research. STATE EMPLOYMENT GUARANTEE COUNCIL – Advising the State Government on all matters concerning the Scheme and its implementation in the State. – Determining the preferred works. – Reviewing the monitoring and redressal mechanisms from time to time and recommending improvements. – Promoting the widest possible dissemination of information about this Act and the Schemes under it. – Monitoring the implementation of this Act and the Schemes in the State and coordinating such implementation with the Central Council. – Preparing the annual report to be laid before the State Legislature by the State Government. – Any other duty or function as may be assigned to it by the Central Council or the State Government. – The State Council shall have the power to undertake an evaluation of the Schemes operating in the State and for that purpose to collect or cause to be collected statistics pertaining to the rural economy and the implementation of the Schemes and Programmes in the State. – Terms and conditions of the Chairperson and Members of the State Employment Guarantee Council shall be prescribed by the State Government. DISTRICT GRAM SABHA – Assist in Recommend developmental works. – Social audit of all projects within the Gram Panchayat jurisdiction. PANCHAYATI RAJ INSTITUTIONS – The Village, Intermediate and District Panchayats shall be the principal authorities for planning and implementation of the scheme made under the NREG Act. – The Panchayats at all levels can be the Implementing Agencies under the Act. – At least 50% of the works in terms of cost will be allotted to Gram Panchayats for implementation. – The Gram Panchayat shall be responsible for identification of the projects to be taken up in its area under the scheme as per the recommendations of the Gram/ward Sabha and the same shall be forwarded to Programme Officer for scrutiny and preliminary approval. – The Gram Panchayat shall prepare a development plan and maintain shelf of possible works to be taken up under the scheme as and when demand for work arises. – The Intermediate Panchayat shall approve the Block level plan and forward the same to the District Panchayat for approval. – The District Panchayat shall finalise and approve Block-wise shelf of projects to be taken up for implementation under the Scheme. – The plan approved by District Panchayat will assign implementation responsibilities to various agencies like Panchayats, line departments, NGOs etc. PROGRAMME OFFICER – Responsible for matching the demand for employment with the employment opportunities arising from projects in the area under his jurisdiction. – Overall supervision and coordination of registration of applicants for employment and for providing wage employment in accordance with the provisions of the Act and the Scheme notified by the State. – Prepare a Plan for the Block under his jurisdiction by consolidating the project proposals prepared by the Gram Panchayats and the proposals received from the Intermediate Panchayat. – Receive resources from District Programme Coordinator and release them to the Implementing Agencies in accordance with these Guidelines and the Scheme of the State Government. – Maintain proper accounts of the resources received, released and utilized. – Monitoring of projects taken up by the Gram Panchayats and other Implementing/Agencies within his jurisdiction. – Sanctioning and ensuring payment of unemployment allowance to the eligible households. DISTRICT PROGRAMME COORDINATOR – To assist the District Panchayat in discharging its functions under this Act and any Scheme made there under. – To consolidate the plans prepared by the Blocks and project proposals received from other implementing agencies for inclusion in the shelf of projects to be approved by the Panchayat at District level. – To accord necessary sanction and administrative clearance, wherever necessary. – To coordinate with the Programme Officers functioning within his jurisdiction and the implementing agencies to ensure that the applicants are provided employment as per their entitlements under this Act. – To review, monitor and supervise the performance of the Programme Officers. – To conduct periodic inspection of the works in progress. – To redress the grievances of the applicants. – To prepare in the month of December every year a labor budget for the next financial year containing the details of anticipated demand for unskilled manual work in the District and the plan for engagement of laborers in the works covered under the Scheme and submit it to the District Panchayat. The Works Given the focus on creating employment for unskilled workers by way of manual work, improvement of land and water resources formed an important part of the works undertaken. Water conservation, creation of water harvesting structures and drought proofing (including afforestation and tree plantation) form top two activities in order of priority in identification of public works. Improving land and micro and minor irrigation facilities (feeder channels etc) of marginal groups especially SC, ST and OBC communities and those below poverty line are also identified as important public works that would enhance productivity of land and provide long term asset base for the poor and the marginalized. Creation of flood protection mechanisms, renovation and restoration of water bodies are also part of list of works which would enhance agriculture productivity and also strengthen community resource base. Finally, rural connectivity (roads) is also part of permissible works as that would enhance communication and linkages with markets. That the programme has a legal dimension gives it supremacy over other wage employment programmes in the past. In particular, this puts a permanent, binding obligation on the state for implementation, rather than making its tenure and impact conditional upon the political strategizing of elected parties in power. Thus, workers are entitled to work as a ‘ right’, failing which the corresponding ‘ duty bearers’ can (in theory at least) be held accountable. In its design, universality in scope has particularly been incorporated to eliminate inclusion and exclusion errors of targeting, and further self selection is intended to ensure that only the most needy come forth and claim employment. Further, as per its envisaged decentralized implementation architecture, the NREGS provides impetus to governance and participatory decision making, by entrusting the main responsibility of implementation of the programme to Gram Panchayats (local village government bodies), Moreover, it is imagined that the entire village population (Gram Sabhas) will participate in suggesting village level plans, thus responding to local, development needs, rather than merely executing plans from ‘ above’. Works eligible for Inclusion under NREGS – Water conservation and water harvesting. – Drought proofing (including afforestation and tree plantation). – Irrigation canals including micro and minor irrigation works. – Provision of irrigation facility, horticulture plantation and land development facilities on land owned by households belonging the SC and ST or to BPL families or to beneficiaries of land reforms or to the beneficiaries under the Indira Awas Yojana of the Government of India. – Renovation of traditional water bodies including de-silting of tanks. – Land development. – Flood control and protection works including drainage in water logged areas. – Rural connectivity to provide all-weather access and any other work which may be notified by Central Government in consultation with the State Government. ELIGIBILITY The National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme is open to all rural households in the areas notified by the Government of India. The entitlement of 100 days of guaranteed employment in a financial year is in terms of a household. This entitlement of 100 days per year can be shared within the household. All adult members of the household who registered can apply for work. To register, they have to:- a) Be local residents “ local“ implies residing within the gram panchayat. b) Be willing to do un-skilled manual work. c) Apply as a household at the local gram panchayat. APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION AND ISSUANCE OF JOB CARDS The application for registration can be given on plain paper or on the prescribed application format available at gram panchayat level or an oral request for registration can be made. The application should contain the names of those adult members of the household who are willing to do un-skilled manual work, and particulars such as age, sex and SC/ST status etc. After verification all particulars are entered in the registration register by the concerned gram panchayat. Every household is assigned a registration number. Job cards to every registered household are issued by the gram panchayat. The job cards are issued within a fortnight of the application for registration. Photographs of adult members who are applicants are attached to the job cards. The cost of job card and photographs is borne as part of the programme funds. The job card is valid for a period of 5 years. APPLICATION FOR WORK AND ALLOCATION OF EMPLOYMENT Applications for work can be submitted to the Gram Panchayat as well as to the Programme Officer. Applications should be given in writing and a dated receipt for the application for work must be issued to the applicant. The applications for work must be for at least 14 days of continuous of work. Applicants who are provided work are to be intimated by means of letter sent to them at the address given in the job card and also by a public notice displayed at the offices of the Gram Panchayat. The wage employment to the applicant is to be provided within 15 days of the date of receipt of application. CRITERIA FOR ALLOCATION/RELEASE OF FUNDS The District wise labour budget for the next Financial Year containing the details of anticipated demand for funds is submitted to Government of India for approval. An empowered committee under the Secretary Rural Development Government of India appraise and approve the district labour budgets in consultation with the State Secretaries (RD). For the year 2009-10, labour budget to the tune of Rs. 627. 63 crore has been approved by the Government of India for our State. The Central funds are being released by the Government of India to the State Employment Guarantee Fund. The State matching share is also being credited to this fund and further releases to the district are made form this fund as per the utilization and requirement of funds. So for, an amount of Rs. 331. 78 crore has been released by the Government of India during current Financial Year under the Scheme. PREPARATION OF SHELF OF PROJECTS The Gram Sabha recommends the permissible works to be taken up under the scheme and these works are compiled at the Gram Panchayat level and submitted to the Block Programme Officer (NREGA). The Block Development Officers have been designated as Block Programme Officers (NREGA). The Block Programme Officer (NREGA) consolidates the Gram Panchayat proposals and works recommended by the Panchayat Samiti into a Block Plan and after the approval of the Panchayat Samiti, forward it to the District Programme Coordinator (NREGA). The Deputy Commissioners have been designated as District Programme Coordinator (NREGA). The District Programme Coordinator (NREGA) consolidates the Block Plans and proposals from other implementing agencies and the Zila Parishad and get these approved from the Zila Parishad. After the approval of the Zila Parishad, the administrative and financial approvals are accorded by the District Programme Coordinator (NREGA). Minimum 50 percent of the works in terms of cost are to be executed by the Gram Panchayats. FUNDING PATTERN The following costs are borne by the Government of India:- (a) The entire cost of wages for unskilled manual workers. (b) 75 percent of the cost of material and wages for skilled and semi-skilled workers. (c) Administrative expenses. The following costs are borne by the State Government:- (a) 25 percent of the cost of material and wages for skilled and semiskilled workers. (b) Un-employment allowance. (c) Administrative expenses of State Employment Guarantee Council. PAYMENT OF WAGES (a) Every person working under the scheme is entitled to wages at the minimum wage fixed by the State Government. (b) Equal wages are to be paid to both man and woman workers. (c) Workers are entitled to being paid on weekly basis and in any case within a fortnight of the date on which work was done (NREGA section -3 (3) ) (d) The wages to the NREGA worker are being paid on the basis of the work done by them based on schedule of rates. PAYMENT OF UNEMPLOYMENT ALLOWANCE (i) If an applicant for employment under the scheme is not provided such employment within 15 days of receipt of his application seeking employment or from the date on which the employment has been sought in the case of advance application, whichever is latter, he shall be entitled to a daily unemployment allowance which will be one fourth of the wage rate for the first thirty days during the financial year and one half of the wage rate for the remaining period of the financial year. (ii) The payment of unemployment allowance is the liability of the State Government. (iii) The liability of the State Government to pay unemployment allowance to a household during any financial year will cease as soon as:- (a) The applicant is directed by the Gram Panchayat or the Programme Officer to report for work or (b) The period for which employment is sought comes to an end and no member of the household of the applicant had turned up for employment ; or (c) The adult members of the household of the applicant have received in total at least 100 days of work within the financial year ; or (d) The household of the applicant has earned as much from the wages and unemployment allowance taken together which is equal to the wages for 100 days of work during the financial year. VIGILANCE AND MONITORING COMMITTEES For every work sanctioned under the Scheme, there should be a local Vigilance and Monitoring Committee,(VMC) composed of members of the locality or village where the work is undertaken, to monitor the progress and quality of work while it is in progress. The VMC will comprise nine members. The Gram Sabha will elect the members of this Committee and ensure that SC/STs and women are represented on it. It should have at least 50% of members from among NREGA workers. The VMC should be elected for the period of one year by the Gram Sabha. The GP/ Implementing Agency should apprise this Committee of estimates regarding the work, time frame and quality parameters. The Final Report of the Committee should be attached along with the Completion Certificate of the work, and should also be placed at the next meeting of the Gram Sabha in the Panchayat where work has been executed. A copy of the Report will also be sent to the Programme Officer and the District Programme Coordinator. The Programme Officer will be responsible for ensuring that local Vigilance and Monitoring Committees are constituted. VMC should be village specific and not work specific. It should facilitate the social audit by the Gram Sabha. – Local Beneficiary Committees may also be constituted for effective articulation of their entitlements and their access to information. – The Gram Panchayat will monitor works executed by other Implementing Agencies, muster rolls maintained by them at worksites, and the payments made. – The Intermediate Panchayat and the Programme Officer will monitor the registration of households, issue of Job Cards, employment demanded and provided, maintenance of muster rolls, unemployment allowances paid, social audits, flow of funds, timely and correct payment of wages, and progress and quality of works. The Programme Officer shall be responsible for sending all reports and returns to the District Programme Coordinator, who in turn shall send reports to the State and Central Governments. – The District Panchayat and the District Programme Coordinator will monitor all aspects of implementation, specially timely issue of Job Cards, provision of employment, social audits, flow of funds, progress and quality of works, – The State Government will monitor the Scheme in all its aspects of implementation, specially, timely and correct payment of wages, timely payment of unemployment allowances and grievance redressal. The State Government will send consolidated reports and returns to the Central Government. – Central Government will establish a monitoring system through internal and external monitoring agencies. A central monitoring and evaluation system will be evolved by the Central Employment Guarantee Council. THE FOLLOWING ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAMME WILL BE MONITORED AT ALL LEVELS: i) Effectiveness and outreach of IEC activities specially among the Job Card holders. ii) Application for Registration and verification process for registration. iii) Time taken to issue Job Cards. iii) Application for Demand. iv) Issue of dated receipts. v) Allocation of employment within fifteen days. vi) Maintenance of authentic updated Muster Rolls on work sites. vii) Quality of work executed. viii) Measurement of work done and maintenance of measurement books. ix) Timely and correct payment. x) Entries in the Job Cards. xi) Maintenance of records prescribed under the Guidelines. x) Grievance redresssal. xi) Fund utilization. xii) Organisation of social audits. Major Achievements made during the year 2008-09 and 2009-10 (upto February, 2010) Achievements during 2008-09  During the year 2008-09, wage employment to 4, 45, 713 households has been provided by generating 205. 28 lacs mandays.  During 2008-09, 22, 281 works have been completed under the scheme.  During 2008-09, funds to tune of Rs. 500. 90 crore were available with the districts out of which Rs. 332. 28 crore have been spent under the scheme.  For smooth implementation of the scheme, 1081 Gram Rozgar Sewaks, 92 Computer Operators and 42 Jr. Engineers have been engaged under the scheme in various Districts/Blocks and Gram Panchayats.  In order to ensure Transparency in the disbursement of wages to the workers, 4, 08, 964 saving accounts of NREGA workers have been opened in banks and post offices and wages are being disbursed through these accounts.  Schemes for Horticulture plantation, Land development and Minor irrigation works under NREGS on the private land of SCs/STs and BPL families have been prepared by the Department and circulated to all the Blocks for implementation.  Other line departments like Forests, Agriculture, Horticulture, PWD, IPH etc. have also been involved in the preparation of shelf of projects of permissible works under NREGA and execution thereof. Achievements during 2009-10 (upto February, 2010) i. Since inception of the scheme, job cards to 9, 69, 930 rural households have been issued. ii. During the year 2009-10, wage employment to 4, 49, 558 households has been provided by generating 240. 80 lacs mandays. iii. During 2009-10, 27, 472 works have been completed under the scheme. iv. During 2009-10, funds to tune of Rs. 472. 00 crore have been spent under the scheme out of total availability of Rs. 550. 39 crore with the districts. v. In order to ensure Transparency in the disbursement of wages to the workers, 8, 20, 212 saving accounts of NREGA workers have been opened in banks and post offices and wages are being disbursed through these accounts. vi. The recruitment of 40 Junior Engineers, 35 Junior Accountants and 12 computers is under process. CRITICAL ISSUES OF NREGA – Issues Related to Job Cards: To ensure that rural families likely to seek unskilled manual labour are identified & verify against reasonably reliable local data base so that nondomiciled contractor’s workers are not used on NREGA works . What is done for this problem? Job card verification is done on the spot against an existing data base and Reducing the time lag between application and issue of job cards to eliminate the possibility of rentseeking, and creating greater transparency etc. Besides ensuring that Job Cards are issued prior to employment demand and work allocation rather than being issued on work sites which could subvert the aims of NREGA – Issues related to Applications: To ascertain choices and perceptions of households regarding lean season employment to ensure exercise of the right to employment within the time specified of fifteen days to ensure that works are started where and when there is demand for labour, not demand for works the process of issuing a dated acknowledgement for the application for employment needs to be scrupulously observed. In its absence, the guarantee cannot be exercised in its true spirit – Issues Related to Selection of Works: Selection of works by gram sabha in villages and display after approval of shelf of projects, to ensure public choice, transparency and accountability and prevent material intensive, contractor based works and concocted works records – Issues related to Execution of Works: At least half the works should be run by gram panchayats . Maintenance of muster roll by executing agency -numbered muster rolls which only show job card holders must be found at each work-to prevent contractor led works – Issues related to measurement of work done: Regular measurement of work done according to a schedule of rural rates sensitive Supervision of Works by qualified technical personnel on time. Reading out muster rolls on work site during regular measurement -to prevent bogus records and payment of wages below prescribed levels – Issues related to Payments: Payment of wages through banks and post offices -to close avenues for use of contractors, short payment and corruption – Audit : Provision of adequate quality of work site facilities for women and men labourers Creation and maintenance of durable assets Adequate audit and evaluation mechanisms Widespread institution of social audit and use of findings CRITICISM OF NREGA – Here are some points raised regarding the implementation and success of NREGA in various news papers and magazines: – In last 3 years on average only 50% of the households that registered under the scheme actually got employment. (times of India) – There is a wide variation of performance across states. In terms of the percentage of registered households provided work, Maharashtra has averaged an abysmal 13% over the three years while Rajasthan at the other end of the spectrum has averaged 73%. (Times of India) – The rural poverty line, which is now in the region of Rs 400 per capita per day, means that an average household that is below the poverty line (BPL) will have an income of something in the range of Rs 24, 000 per annum or less, assuming a five-member household. In other words, if a BPL family were to get the full promised benefit of NREGA they could earn the equivalent of more than 40% of their annual income from this one scheme alone. That should be enough to see why NREGA should not be seen as just another of the plethora of poverty alleviation schemes that India has had since Independence. (Times of India) – If this scheme is implemented the right way, there will be no need for MP and MLAs funds. Look at the figures: At Rs 2 crore per 543 MP, the allocation comes to Rs 1086 crore (most times this remains underutilized). In his budget, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee has increased the NREGA allocation by 144% and it’s now Rs 39, 100 crore. (Times of India) – The Planning Commission has sought the Reserve Bank of India’s intervention in streamlining the mechanism of paying wages under the NREGA. In a letter to the central bank, the Commission said that the RBI should give directions to banks to ensure that payments to the beneficiaries of the NREGA are made only through banks or post-offices. The Commission has pointed out that disbursing funds under the NREGA, which has an annual allocation of Rs30, 000 crore, needs to be strengthened to ensure that no leakages happen as the canvas of the programme is bound to expand in the near future. – Despite the political and economic importance NREGA has generated, there is lack of studies on the working of public employment programmes. CONCLUSION National Rural Employment Guarantee Act came in September 2005. It was launched on February 2, 2006. NREGA is the flagship programme of the UPA Government that directly touches lives of the poor and promotes inclusive growth. The Act aims at enhancing livelihood security of households in rural areas of the country by providing at least one hundred days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. The ongoing programmes of Sampoorn Grameen Rozgar Yojna & National Food for Work Programme were subsumed within this programme in the 200 of the most backward districts of the country, in which it was introduced in phase -1 . In phase-2 it was introduced in 130 additional districts. The scheme was extended to 274 rural districts from April 1, 2008 in phase-3. NREGA is the first ever law internationally, that guarantees wage employment. There are many salient features, challenges, and goals which were designed and taken up by the NREGA, one of the main goal of the development program is to create employment for the people in the village willing to work in unskilled works and generate agricultural economy through it. NREGA was implemented in various states of India, till 2011 there were various achievements which were registered under the NREGA development programme. Though there are many criticism’s about the program the contribution and the development works have not stopped, every question raised during the process were answered and the programme is going on successfully. BIBILIOGRAPHY Websites referred: – www. nrega. nic. in- the work application – www. nrega. ap. gov. in- key agencies – www. nrega. net – timesofindia. indiatimes. com – shobitsharma1947. blogspot- criticisms of nrega

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