MGNREGA Expanded

The Union Rural Development Ministry has notified 30 new works under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Act ( MGNREGA), majority of which are related to agricultural and allied activities, besides the works that will facilitate rural sanitation projects in a major way. The works have been divided into 10 broad categories like Watershed, Irrigation and Flood management works, Agricultural and Livestock related works, Fisheries and works in coastal areas and the Rural Drinking water and Sanitation related works. Earlier, only eight types of works were allowed.

The 30 new works being added in the Schedule 1 will also help the rural sanitation projects, as for the first time toilet building, soak pits and solid and liquid waste management have been included under MGNREGA 2.0. Though the overall 60:40 ratio of labour and material component will be maintained at the Gram Panchayat level but there will be some flexibility in the ratio for certain works based on the practical requirements.

Priority of works under MGNREGA 2.0 will be decided by the Gram Panchayats in meetings of the Gram Sabhas and the Ward Sabhas.

The revamped MNREGA is based on the Mihir Shah-led committee report and also on demands raised by various state governments, including Bihar, Kerala, Sikkim and Madhya Pradesh. The demand for new works has come mainly from the States like Kerala, Sikkim, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan based on the ground realities in each of the region. Most of the new works are productivity enhancement activities, and are expected to give a big boost to rural economy.

Rejecting the criticism emanating in some quarters that MGNREGA has led to low agricultural productivity, Union Rural Development Minsiter Shri Jairam Ramesh said, 70 per cent of rural job scheme happens during the non-farm season and added that such conclusions are baseless.

MGNREGA Act

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (Mahatma Gandhi NREGA) Act was notified in 200 districts in the first phase with effect from February 2^nd 2006 and then extended to an additional 130 districts in the financial year 2007-2008 (113 districts were notified with effect from April 1^st  2007, and 17 districts in UP were notified with effect from May 15^th  2007).  The remaining districts have been notified under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA with effect from April 1, 2008. Thus, the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA covers the entire country with the exception of districts that have a hundred percent urban population.

Key Facts

• In 2010-11, nearly 5.50 crore families were provided over 250 crore person-days of work under the programme.
• Over the last six years, MGNREGA has generated more than 1,100 crore person-days of work at a total expenditure of over Rs.150,000 crores.
• The share of SC/ST families in the work provided under MGNREGA has been 55 per cent and 45 per cent of workers are women
• Average wages of workers have gone up by 54 per cent over the last five years and wages have now been so indexed that workers will be protected from the ravages of inflation.
• The mandate of the Act is to provide 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.