NATIONAL RURAL EMPLOYMENT GUARANTEE ACT (NREGA)

Course Seminar on

Advised by:Dr. K. GhadeiLecturer

Presented by:Nirupam BiswasID No. X-0748Department of Extension

Education Institute of Agricultural Sciences B.H.U.

WELCOME

Introduction An act to provide for the enhancement

of livelihood security of the households in rural areas of the country by providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in every financial year to every household.

This is the largest ever public employment programme visualized in human history.

Enacted on August 25, 2005; came into force on February 2, 2006.

Wage Employment Programmes (WEP)

National Rural Employment Programme (NREP): 1980-89

Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Programme (RLEGP): 1983-89

Jawahar Rozgar Yojana (JRY): 1989-99Employment Assurance Scheme (EAS): 1993-

99 Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojana (JGSY):1999-

2002Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana (SGRY):

Since September 2001National Food For Work Programme (NFFWP):

Launched on November 14, 2004National Rural Employment Guarantee Act

(NREGA): 2005From Programme to Act

Employment Guarantee Act: TheBasic Idea

The Employment Guarantee Act

is a step towards the right towork, as an aspect of thefundamental right to live withdignity.

The right to work as a “fundamentalright”

The “right to life” is a fundamental right of

all citizens under Article 21 of the IndianConstitution. “Right to life… includes the right to livewith human dignity, it would include allthese aspects which would make lifemeaningful, complete and living.”(Supreme Court)

The right to work in the “DirectivePrinciples” of the Constitution “The State shall… direct its policytowards securing that the citizen, menand women equally, have the right to anadequate means of livelihood…” (Article39A) “The State shall … make effectiveprovision for securing the right to

work…”(Article 41)

COMPARISON OF NREGS &EARLIER PROGRAMMESParameters NREGS Earlier

Programmes

Concept Demand based Supply based

Focus on employment

Focus on assets

Off-season employment

Peak season expenditure

Planning Long preparatory phase

Hurried quick-fix plans

Real People’s Plan Bureaucratic plan

Organization Panchayat in central place

Middleman-contractor in central place

Fortnightly measuring and payment

Often once or twice per work

Administration Real records Often "created" records

Close monitoring Routine monitoring

Special features Difficult to manipulate

Easy to manipulate

Proactive role of GOI

Routine role of GOI

Can EGS stop Distressed Migration?91% migrating HH said that they

prefer work at home if it is continuous and at the minimum wage rate, 100 days may not be adequate.

Migration is an old tradition with some advantages, so, adequate compensation is needed to prevent them from migrating.

EGS may improve wages and working conditions of the migrants.

NREGA GOALS

a. Strong social safety net for the vulnerable groups by providing a fall-back employment source, when other employment alternatives are scare or inadequate

b. Growth engine for sustainable development of an agricultural economy

c. Empowerment of Rural poor through the processes of a rights-based Law.

Objectives of NREGA

The basic 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 BPL & APL household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work

This work guarantee can also serves other objectives like

1. Generating productive assets, 2. Protecting the environment, empowering rural women, 3. Reducing rural urban migration and fostering social

equity, among others.

NREGA 2005 in a Nutshell

The National Rural EmploymentGuarantee Act 2005 is a law

whereby:any adult who is willing to do

unskilledmanual work at the minimum

wageis entitled to being employed on

localpublic works within 15 days ofapplying.

Who is eligible?

Anyone above the age of 18

who resides in rural areas.

Is there a limit on the number ofdays of work?

Yes: 100 days per household per year.

Each nuclear family counts as a

separate “household”.

The Unemployment AllowanceIf employment is not provided within 15days, the applicant is entitled to anunemployment allowance:

At least one fourth of the minimumwage for the first 30 days.

At least one half of the minimum wagethereafter.

Where will the work be provided?Within 5 kilometres of the applicant’s residence, as far as possible.

If work is provided beyond 5 kilometres, a travel allowance has to be paid.

What is the minimum wage due toNREGA labourers?Labourers are entitled to the statutory minimum wage for agricultural labourers in the state, unless the Central Government “notifies” a different norm.

If the Central Government notifies, the norm is subject to a minimum of Rs 60/day.

How and when are wages to bepaid?

Weekly, or in any case not later

than a fortnight.

Directly to the person concerned, in front of the community.

Mandatory worksite facilities Drinking water Shade Medical aid Creche if more than five children

below age 6 are present

Note: These facilities are to be provided by

the implementing agency.

Work Execution

Work progress monitoringWage computation based on outturnMaterial and Effort Re-Estimation Modifications to wage rates, muster rolls.

MCC

Panchayat

Work Site

Shelf of Works

Grouping of Wage seekers

Progress Report

Muster Roll

Closure Report

Work SU Intimation

Generate Comm Letter Mtrl SO Work Sty

1

23

7

5

6

4

Fund & Accounts Management

Fund Allocation Note

Wage

Gram Panchayat

MCC

Wage Seekers

Material Suppliers

Payment for material delivered

Work Startup Order

Fund Status Report

Fund receipt, transferAdvancesClaimsSavings Account MgtMaint of ledgersPeriod financial reports

WOMEN 46.54%

OTHERS 53.45%

At least 1/3rd of the beneficiaries shall be women who have registered and requested for work under the Scheme (NREGA ACT, Schedule II, Section 6) till March 2008

Gender-related provisions

Key Processes: Demand for Employment

Rural Household

Registration Application Gram Panchayat

Work allocation15 days of Demand

Wages-15 days

Muster roll with Job Card Nos. Measurement

Else Unemployment Allowance

(GP)Verification- local residence not poverty, employment

Registration

Job Card HH Employment Demand

Work- SiteFacilities:Creche,medical aid,water

GP

Dated Receipt

Key Processes:Selection of Works

Gram Sabha Recommends Gram Panchayat finalises Village Plan

Programme Coordinator- District-Panchayat Final shelf of Projects

-Block- PanchayatConsolidates village Plans:Block Plan

Programme OfficerOther agencies

•Water conservation, land developmentAfforestation,roads, other works•60:40, labour:material•No contractors,machinery

Concerns

Inflated Schemes

• Inflated Quantity of Work

• Depressed Productivity

• Inflated Person Day estimates

Inflated Schemes

• Inflated Quantity of Work

• Depressed Productivity

• Inflated Person Day estimates

Bogus Registrations

• Registration of non-living persons, minors and medically unfit

• Duplicate and/or Proxy Registrations

• Fictitious Registrations

Bogus Registrations

• Registration of non-living persons, minors and medically unfit

• Duplicate and/or Proxy Registrations

• Fictitious Registrations

Fraudulent Requisition of Funds

• False Measurement

• Inflated Progress of Works

• Omitting an operation or work item

Fraudulent Requisition of Funds

• False Measurement

• Inflated Progress of Works

• Omitting an operation or work item

Fraudulent Wage Payment

• Under Payments

• Dependant Fraudulent Payments

Fraudulent Wage Payment

• Under Payments

• Dependant Fraudulent Payments

Inflated Muster

• Ghost Workmen

• Bogus Attendance

Inflated Muster

• Ghost Workmen

• Bogus Attendance

16/11/06 26

DiscriminationsIncidences of discrimination on the basis of

caste, community, disability and proximity to Sarpanch, Panchayat Secretary and Officials have been noticed.

BPL families were given preference over others

Women were discouraged to get registered. Aged and physically challenged persons

were not provided registration forms in some places.

TRANSPARENCY ANDACCOUNTABILITY

All NREGA-related documents to be

available for public scrutiny. Copies of documents to be made available at nominal cost. Muster rolls to be pro-actively

displayed at Panchayat Bhawan. Documents can also be obtained

under the Right to Information Act.

Social Audits

Gram Sabhas to conduct social audits of all works taken up within Gram Panchayat

All relevant documents to be provided to

the Gram Sabha by the Gram Panchayat and other implementing agencies

04/12/2023 Ministry of Rural Development 29

If the Act delivers..Mitigate hard timesHousehold earnings may increase through 100

days supplementStrengthen natural resource base of livelihood

and build community assetsQuantum of fiscal resources needed for wage

employment programmes may reduce Because of better targeting-Mirror of PovertyPossible spin off: - more schooling for children of migrant

families, - Women greater participation in work

force:more voice?

STAKEHOLDERS

Key Stakeholders are:

I. Wage seekersII. Gram SabhaIII. PRIs, specially the gram panchayatIV. Programme Officer at the block levelV. District Programme CoordinatorVI. State GovernmentVII. Ministry of Rural Development

Key Issues in NREGA

We welcome the landmark legislation of the NREGA which has potential to provide income security, poverty reduction and develop the backward rural areas

To succeed in intent and potential of NREGA the following key aspects merit attention to plan and implement the NREGA

1. Corruption2. Wages3. Works 4. Monitoring 5. Human Capacity

PERMISSIBLE WORKSThe Works permissible under

NREG are : Water conservation and water harvesting; drought proofing, including afforestation

and tree plantation; irrigation canals, including micro and

minor irrigation works; provision of irrigation facility, plantation,

horticulture, land development to land owned by households belonging to the SC/ST, or to land of the beneficiaries of land reforms, or to land of the beneficiaries under the Indira Awas Yojana/BPL families

PERMISSIBLE WORKS contd…

renovation of traditional water bodies, including de-silting of tanks;

land development; flood-control and protection works, including drainage in

waterlogged areas; rural connectivity to provide all-weather access. The

construction of roads may include culverts where necessary, and within the village area may be taken up along with drains. Care should be taken not to take up roads included in the PMGSY network under NREGA. No cement concrete roads should be taken up under NREGA. Priority should be given to roads that give access to SC/ST habitations;

any other work that may be notified by the Central Government in consultation with the State Government.

Tribal Development & Agriculture Deptt

All Tribal agriculturists are entitled for 1. Works related to land development.2. Works that provide irrigation including

micro irrigation facility to tribal agriculturists.

3. Horticulture projects.4. Works like cannel and channel digging.5. Providing pipelines to the field of

agriculturists.6. Irrigation wells

Contd…..7. Earth work related activities where

village is adopted.8. Eco friendly

activities ,establishment of model nurseries

9. Checking salinity in coastal areas 10.Reclamation of saline and alkaline

soils11.Rain fed area development 12.Water shed development13.Land development of hilly areas

Works related to RKVY can be taken up under NREGA

1. Development of Horticulture Farms2. Plantation of Date ,Palm ,Jetropha and

Sandal3. Treatment of saline and water logged

areas.4. Labour intensive and earth work related

,land development activities for quality seed protection.

NREGS: Success Story of Hardoi

Name of Work – Renovation of Kakhraiya Pond at Gram Bahmanakheda,Block- Ahirori,Year – 2006-07 Executing Agency- Block Ahirori,Cost of the work – 1.126 Lakh. Mandays Created- 1300 Benefit of the Project – It is useful for recharging the ground water, for drinking water for animals, for irrigation purpose

as well as it has provided the employment to the local

labourers.

04/12/2023 NREGA,2005 48

Serious accidents at work site If any person employed under the

scheme is or child accompanying any person injured ; he/she shall be entitled to free of charge medical treatment.

During the period of hospitalization of injured worker.Accommodation, treatment and

medicines &Half of the wage per day to be paid

to injured person.

04/12/2023 NREGA,2005 49

Serious accidents at work site continued………..

If a person employed under a scheme dies or becomes permanent disabled by the accident at site

The legal heirs of the deceased or the disabled shall be paid an ex gratia payment at the rate of Rs.25000 By the Central government.

OUTCOMES [field reports]

Reduction in distress out-migration due to availability of additional income and work

creation and repair of rural infrastructure like roads and water bodies

Retention of children in school and purchase of books for them

Greater interest in local area development due to flow of funds and village meetings

Changing local dynamics in many places with the recognition by workers that they are right holders

Expansion in membership and activities of workers’ and peasant organizations

Recommendations:Information, education and

communicationCapacity building of the PRI staff

and elected membersRecruitment of technical persons

at GP levelDiversification in the NREG worksSupervision

CONCLUSIONTeething trouble apart, the same forces of

fiscal conservatism that earlier tried to dilute the Act are now trying to curtail entitlements and minimize expenditure.

However, the NREGA offers an unprecedented opportunity to initiate broad-based growth through poverty reducing employment generation and consequent demand expansion.

Therefore, some recent reports of mobilization and struggles by rural workers for the full and proper implementation of the NREGA is good news!

THANK YOU