Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) works not up to mark in State

GUWAHATI: As many as 4,497 works under the MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) had to be closed (abandoned) in Assam till the end of fiscal 2017-18 since the inception of the scheme. This is indeed a sad reflection on decentralization of power through the PRI (Panchayati Raj Institution) in the State.

MGNREGA was introduced by the then UPA government at the Centre in fiscal 2006-07, and it was also promoted by the NDA Government.

Till the end of fiscal 2017-18, as many as 1,49,575 of the 4,14,551works taken up under MGNREGA had to be left incomplete in the State since the inception of the scheme. What is shocking is that 4,497 of the 1,49,575 incomplete works under the scheme had to be closed due to abysmal delay in their implementation. Only 2,64,976 MGNREGA works could be completed till that fiscal in the State.

Completion of MGNREGA works was very poor in the State during fiscal 2014-15 and 2015-16 when only 19,533 works and 15,986 works respectively were completed. The situation took a turn for the better ever since the BJP-led coalition government coming at the helm of affairs at Dispur. The present coalition government in the State could complete 20,880 MGNREGA works in 2016-17 and 48,336 works in 2017-18. However, only 9,909 families holding job cards could be given the mandatory jobs for 100 days a year in that fiscal.

The Centre pumped in Rs 9264.97 crore to Assam under the MGNREGA since the inception of the scheme till fiscal 2017-18.

The poor implementation of PRI in Assam, especially during the Congress rule, has made a mockery of decentralization of power in the State. Even as the situation has taken a turn for the better after the BJP coming at the scene, still now there are miles to go to achieve the target. With the rural areas in State going to be under new panchayat members in the New Year, will the State see an overhaul for real decentralization of power? An overhaul in the State Panchayat & Rural Development (P&RD) Department is also badly needed.

The panchayat poll in the State is going to be held on December 5 and 9, 2018. The counting of votes is on December 12, 2018.

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