Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act works not satisfactory

Statistics of three last fiscals, however, show a dismal picture

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: During the rising cases of unemployment during this lockdown period, the State government must ensure that the required thrust is given to asset creation as mandated under the 'Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005' (MGNREGA). While giving employment avenues to people it can also lead to permanent asset creation especially in the rural areas across Assam.

Following the unemployment problem during the lockdown, both the Central and State governments have been focusing on the creation of employment-generation scopes under MGNREGA. In Assam, the Panchayat & Rural Development Department carries out these activities.

However, creation of assets across Assam during the last fiscals (2017-18, 2018-19, and 2019-20) has not been satisfactory under MGNREGA. Official statistics say that during these periods while 6,65,633 works of various types were undertaken; 2,09, 515 of those activities are yet to be completed.

During 2017-18, altogether 18, 579 activities remained incomplete of the total 3,82,211; in 2018-19, the incomplete activities were 45, 934 out of 1,19,842; and during 2019-20, altogether 1,45,002 works remained incomplete of the total 1,63, 580. In other words, only 18,578 MGNREGA works or 11.36% of the works were completed during the last fiscal (2019-20).

Against the dismal picture of assets creation across the State so far, the Department will have to focus on boosting this sector.

The MGNREGA was notified on September 7, 2005. Its mandate is to provide at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. Another aim of MGNREGA is to create durable assets. The assets to be created include construction of rural roads, irrigation canals, land development, and latrines of individual households, as well as soil and water conservation resources.   

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