MGNREGA to complete decade journey tomorrow with rise in women workers

New Delhi

The government will take a stock of the scheme by organising MGNREGA SAMMELAN-2016 tomorrow, in which Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will be the chief guest.

In its decade-long journey, the scheme has registered a good percentage of workers from the weaker section. There has been a consistent record of 20 per cent of workers from the Scheduled Caste category and about 17 per cent from the Scheduled Tribe.

A total of 1,980.01 crore person days have been generated in since its implementation, and the percentage worked by women has also increased much above the statutory minimum of 33 per cent.

Sustainable assets have been created linked to conservation of natural resources and overall development of Gram Panchayats, with more than 65 per cent works been linked to agriculture and allied activities.

A revival process of the MGNREGA was initiated by the government last year. After this, the person day generation was the highest in the second quarter with 45.88 crore and the third quarter was 46.10 crore, than it had been in the last five years.

The Rural Development Ministry undertook a slew of reforms as a result of which 57 per cent were  women workers, highest in three years and 23 per cent of all person days were done by SC workers, and 18 per cent by ST which was again a highest in three years.

The important reform was the timely release of funds to states to provide work on demand. The Government also instituted an electronic fund management system which allowed for real time and transparent release of funds to implementing agencies and beneficiaries. The ministry had also reacted swiftly to the distress situation of droughts in nine states by declaring additional 50 days of employment in these areas.

According to a statement of the ministry, in years to come, the focus would be on simplification and strengthening of procedures for the implementation of MGNREGA as an employment guarantee.

The Government today is issuing a master circular which consolidates all key instructions from the Government on implementation of the Act. Beyond this, states would be encouraged to innovate with flexibility.

The convergent planning exercise currently underway in 2,569 backward blocks in the country would be consolidated in the State Rural Development Plan (SRDP) which would be the basis of implementation and monitoring for the coming year.

Besides, concurrent social audits and community monitoring would be undertaken and the renewed focus would be on sustainable individual assets which would benefit the poor.

The continued focus of the ministry would be on construction of Anganwadi buildings and individual household latrines. It will also focus on imparting skill development to workers, the aim is to train and place 10,000 barefoot technicians from worker households.