RURAL EMPLOYMENT
MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005)
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is an Indian job guarantee scheme enacted by legislation on August 25, 2005. It aims at enhancing the livelihood security of people in rural areas by guaranteeing hundred days of wage-employment in a financial year to a rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. The objectives of the programme are –
Ensuring social protection for the most vulnerable people living in rural India through providing employment opportunities.
Ensuring livelihood security for the poor through the creation of durable assets, improved water security, soil conservation and higher land productivity.
Strengthening drought-proofing and flood-management in rural India.
Aiding in the empowerment of the marginalized communities, especially women, Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Schedules Tribes (STs), through the processes of a rights based legislation.
Strengthening decentralised, participatory planning through convergence of various anti-poverty and livelihood initiatives.
Deepening Democracy at the grassroots by strengthening the Panchayat Raj institutions.
Effecting greater transparency and accountability in governance.
Thus, MGNREGA is a powerful instrument for ensuring inclusive growth in rural India through its impact on social protection, livelihood security and democratic empowerment.
MGNREGA - Salient features of the Act:
Adult members of a rural household may apply for employment if they are willing to do unskilled manual work.
Such a household will have to apply for registration to the local Gram Panchayat in writing or orally.
The Gram Panchayat, after due verification, will issue a Job Card to the household as a whole. The Job Card will bear the photograph of all adult members of the household willing to work under NREGA. The Job Card with a photograph is free of cost.
A Job Card holding household 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 fifteen.
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.
Employment will be given within 15 days of application for work by an employment seeker.
If employment is not provided within 15 days, daily unemployment allowance, in cash, has to be paid. Liability of payment of unemployment allowance is of the States.
At least one-third of individuals who work are allotted work have to be women.
Wages are to be paid according to minimum wages as prescribed under 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.
Disbursement of wages has to be done on weekly basis and not beyond a fortnight.
Panchayat Raj Institutions [PRIs] have a principal role in planning and implementation.
Work should ordinarily be provided within a 5 km radius of the village or else extra wages of 10% are payable.
Work site facilities such as crèche, drinking water, and shade have to be provided.
Social Audit has to be done by the Gram Sabha.
Grievance redressal mechanisms have to be put in place to ensure a responsive implementation process.
All accounts and records relating to the Scheme are to be made available to any person desirous of obtaining a copy of such records on demand and after paying a specified fee.
MGNREGA - Implementation
Cost sharing: Main Government 3/4th, State Government 1/4th
Adult associates of non-urban houses publish their names, ages and deal with pictures to the Gram Panchayat.
The Gram panchayat signs up houses after making enquiries and problems with job cards. The job cards contain the facts of the mature participant authorized and his or her picture.
A registered person can sign up for performing in composing (for at least a couple weeks of ongoing work) either to panchayat or to Program Official.
The panchayat or programmed officer will agree to the legitimate program and problem old invoice of the program, page offering performance will be sent to the candidate and shown at the panchayat office.
The career will be offered within a distance of 5 km: if it is above 5 km, an additional salary will be compensated.
If a career under the program is not offered within 15 times of invoice of the program, then daily unemployment allocation will be compensated to the candidate.
The MGNREGA was the first attempt to codify development rights in a legal context. Although it is not the key to the rejuvenation of rural areas or the end of poverty in India, it is a chance for the rural poor that live on the margins to stake a small claim in the development process. India has over 260 million people living below the poverty line; MGNREGA, although not flawless, could prove to be their chance to rise out of absolute poverty and begin to reap the fruits of development the rest of the country is enjoying.
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