Objectives of MGNREGA
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is a significant government initiative aimed at enhancing rural livelihoods and promoting rural development. It provides a legal guarantee for 100 days of wage employment in every financial year to adult rural households.
Key Objectives of MGNREGA:
- Employment guarantee: The primary objective is to ensure employment security for rural households, particularly during lean agricultural seasons.
- Economic security: By providing regular wage employment, MGNREGA aims to improve the economic condition of rural households.
- Rural development: The scheme promotes rural development by creating productive assets like roads, irrigation canals, and water conservation structures.
- Reduced rural-urban migration: By providing employment opportunities in rural areas, MGNREGA can help reduce the migration of rural labor to urban centers.
New initiatives in the wage employment program
Key Initiatives of the NREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) Program:
- People-centric approach: Prioritizes the needs of rural workers and ensures greater accessibility compared to other schemes.
- Guaranteed wage employment: Provides a safety net for rural workers by guaranteeing them paid work.
- Demand-driven: Work projects are initiated based on the demand and needs of the local workers.
- Compensation and allowances: Include provisions for compensation and allowances to address any wage-related issues.
- Financial incentives for states: The central government covers 75% of material costs and 100% of labor costs for state governments to create jobs.
- Unemployment allowance responsibility: State governments are held accountable for providing unemployment allowances if they fail to offer sufficient employment opportunities.
- Gram panchayat involvement: Local village councils (Gram Panchayats) are responsible for implementing at least 50% of the NREGA projects.
- Social audit: Regular scrutiny and inspection of project implementation to ensure transparency and accountability.
- Annual reporting: The Central Employment Guarantee Council (CEGC) and State Employment Guarantee Councils (SEGC) submit annual reports on project outcomes to the central and state governments, respectively.
NREGA state-wise wage rate list
State and Union Territory
|
Daily Wage Rate for NREGA Labor
|
Andhra Pradesh
|
Rs. 300.00
|
Arunachal Pradesh
|
Rs. 234.00
|
Assam
|
Rs. 249.00
|
Bihar
|
Rs. 245.00
|
Chhattisgarh
|
Rs. 243.00
|
Goa
|
Rs. 356.00
|
Gujarat
|
Rs. 280.00
|
Haryana
|
Rs. 374.00
|
Himachal Pradesh (Non-Scheduled Area)
|
Rs. 236.00
|
Himachal Pradesh (Scheduled Area)
|
Rs. 295.00
|
Jammu & Kashmir
|
Rs. 259.00
|
Ladakh
|
Rs. 259.00
|
Jharkhand
|
Rs. 245.00
|
Karnataka
|
Rs. 349.00
|
Kerala
|
Rs. 346.00
|
Madhya Pradesh
|
Rs. 243.00
|
Maharashtra
|
Rs. 297.00
|
Manipur
|
Rs. 272.00
|
Meghalaya
|
Rs. 254.00
|
Mizoram
|
Rs. 266.00
|
Nagaland
|
Rs. 234.00
|
Odisha
|
Rs. 254.00
|
Punjab
|
Rs. 322.00
|
Rajasthan
|
Rs. 266.00
|
Sikkim
|
Rs. 249.00
|
Sikkim (Gyathang, Lachung, Lachen Panchayats)
|
Rs. 374.00
|
Tamil Nadu
|
Rs. 319.00
|
Telangana
|
Rs. 300.00
|
Tripura
|
Rs. 242.00
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
Rs. 237.00
|
Uttarakhand
|
Rs. 237.00
|
West Bengal
|
Rs. 250.00
|
Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Andaman District)
|
Rs. 329.00
|
Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Nicobar District)
|
Rs. 374.00
|
Chandigarh
|
Rs. 324.00
|
Dadra and Nagar Haveli
|
Rs. 324.00
|
Daman and Diu
|
Rs. 324.00
|
Lakshadweep
|
Rs. 315.00
|
Puducherry
|
Rs. 319.00
|
Source: Wage rate notification for FY2023-24
Work covers under the NREGA scheme
Here are a few tasks which are covered under the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA scheme:
- Water conservation: Contour trenches, barriers, boulder checks, gabion structures, dams, stop dams, springs area improvement.
- Drought proofing: Afforestation, tree plantation.
- Irrigation canals: Micro and minor irrigation works.
- Irrigation facilities: Farm ponds, horticulture, plantation, farm bunding, land development on household-owned land.
- Renovation of water bodies: Desilting of tanks.
- Flood control: Drainage in waterlogged areas, deepening, repairing flood channels, stormwater drains for coastal protection.
- Rural connectivity: Culverts, roads within villages.
- Construction of Bharat Nirman: Rajiv Gandhi Sewa Kendra, Knowledge Resource Centre, Gram Panchayat Bhawan.
- Agriculture works: NADEP composting, vermicomposting, liquid bio-manures.
- Livestock works: Poultry shelter, goat shelter, pucca floor, urine tank, fodder trough, azolla as cattle-feed supplement.
- Fisheries works: Fisheries in seasonal water bodies on public land.
- Coastal area work: Fish drying yards, belt vegetation.
- Rural drinking water: Soak pits, recharge pits.
- Rural sanitation: Individual household latrines, school toilet units, anganwadi toilets, solid and liquid waste management.
Any other work decided by the Central Government, in consultation with the State Government.
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What is the role of Gram Panchayat in MGNREGA?
The Gram Sabha plays a crucial role in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme:
- Prioritising Works: It identifies and ranks potential projects based on local needs and resources.
- Monitoring Implementation: The Gram Sabha oversees the execution of works within the Gram Panchayat.
- Social Audits: It acts as the primary platform for conducting social audits, ensuring transparency and accountability.
- Resolving Worker Grievances: The Gram Sabha provides a forum for workers to address any concerns or queries related to MGNREGA work.
What is the role of Gram Sabha in NREGA?
Here are all the details about what the role of Gram Sabha in MGNREGA is:
Prioritising local works based on their potential in the area.
|
Monitoring the execution of work within the Gram Panchayat
|
Serving as the primary forum for social audits.
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Providing a platform to address workers' queries related to any MGNREGA work.
|
Role of state governments in MGNREGA
Here are all the details about what the role of state governments in MGNREGA is:
- Formulating rules to outline the state's responsibilities under the act.
- Establishing the State Employment Guarantee Council.
- Setting up the State Employment Guarantee Fund (SEGF).
- Ensuring the appointment of Employment Guarantee Assistants (Gram Rozgar Sahayak), as well as Personnel Officers and staff at the State, district, cluster, and Gram Panchayat levels for the effective execution of the scheme.
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Role of State Employment Guarantee Council (SEGC) in MGNREGA
Here are all the details about what the role of State Employment Guarantee Council (SEGC) in MGNREGA is:
- Offering suggestions for enhancing the scheme's execution.
- Monitoring the scheme's progress.
- Recommending work proposals to the central government.
- Creating awareness about the scheme and its features in districts.
Benefits of the MGNREGA scheme
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) provides numerous benefits, particularly for rural communities:
- It guarantees 100 days of wage employment annually to rural households, reducing unemployment and poverty.
- The scheme helps improve the income levels of rural families, especially the economically weaker sections.
- Projects under MGNREGA, such as building roads and improving irrigation, contribute to rural infrastructure.
- It provides equal wages and work opportunities for women, contributing to financial independence and gender equality.
- The scheme acts as a safety net during agricultural off-seasons or in times of economic distress.
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) app
The MGNREGA App is a digital tool designed to provide easier access to information and services related to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). Through the app, users can:
- Workers can track their job applications and work status in real-time.
- The app allows beneficiaries to monitor wage payments and pending dues.
- It provides access to details of work sanctioned, progress reports, and funds allocation, promoting transparency.
- Rural workers can easily access key information using a mobile device, ensuring better participation and accountability.
Eligibility criteria for National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA)
MNREGA is applicable across all rural areas of India. While the central government oversees its administration, the implementation is carried out at the state level.
- Indian citizenship: Applicants must be Indian citizens.
- Age limit: Job seekers should be at least 18 years old.
- Rural residency: Applicants must be part of a local rural household.
- Unskilled labour: Willingness to undertake unskilled manual work.
NREGA entitlements to eligible rural individuals
Under the NREGA Act, eligible rural individuals enrolled in the MGNREGA scheme have the following legal entitlements:
- Right to a job card: Each eligible household receives a job card to access employment opportunities.
- Right to demand and receive work: Individuals can demand work within 15 days of application.
- Right to unemployment allowance: If work is not provided within 15 days, an unemployment allowance is payable.
- Right to plan and prepare projects: Local communities can participate in planning and preparing a list of potential projects.
- Right to work proximity: Work should be provided within a 5 km radius of the village.
- Right to worksite facilities: Basic facilities like drinking water and toilets must be provided at worksites.
- Right to notified wage rate: Workers are entitled to receive the minimum wage rate as notified by the government.
- Right to timely wage payment: Wages must be paid within 15 days of work completion.
- Right to grievance redressal and social audit: Individuals have the right to lodge complaints and participate in social audits to ensure transparency and accountability.
Coverage under the MGNREGA
The MGNREGA scheme offers a wide range of employment opportunities in rural areas. The Union Rural Development Ministry has specified the following activities under this scheme:
- Agriculture and related activities
- Rural sanitation projects
- Watershed development works
- Irrigation and flood management works
- Livestock-related works
- Fisheries and coastal area development
- Rural drinking water projects
- Construction of Anganwadi Centres, etc.
MGNREGA helpline number
Find state-specific helpline numbers and email addresses for any complaints related to the NREGA scheme.
Ministry of Rural Development - Government of India Address: Krishi Bhavan, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road, New Delhi - 110001, India
Conclusion
MGNREGA not just offers employment but a pathway to sustainable rural development. By ensuring 100 days of work annually, empowering marginalised communities. Through its diverse projects and community-focused approach, MGNREGA has become an important instrument for transforming the rural areas of India.
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