NATIONAL RURAL EMPLOYMENT GUARANTEE ACT (NREGA)

1. NATIONAL RURAL EMPLOYMENT GUARANTEE ACT (NREGA) Policy and its Implementation - An Overview Alternative Development Initiatives

2. Context of NREGA • Percentage of population below National Poverty line is 27.5% in India • Percentage of population below National poverty line is 28.3 % in rural area and 25.7 % in urban area (Source: Rapid Poverty Reduction and Local Area Development, Report of Steering Committee-Planning Commission, GOI for Eleventh Five Year Plan 2007-2012) • 30 crores people are below the poverty line in India of which 8.7 crores are rural agricultural labourers • STs and SCs constitute approximately 40% and 30% of rural agricultural labourers below poverty line • Unemployment and out of labour force days of rural agricultural labourers is 104 days ( 76 days for male & 141 days for female) (Source: Report on conditions of work and promotion of livelihoods in the Unorganised sector). Need for supplementing existing employment opportunities. • The region has witnessed extensive erosion of natural resource base over the last fifty years and also have some of the worst natural disasters. (Source: Report of South Asia Commission on Poverty Alleviation, SAARC) Need for works that strengthen natural resource base.

3. NATIONAL RURAL EMPLOYMENT GUARANTEE ACT -2005 • Aim Providing 100 days wage employment guarantee for the unskilled rural households who have demanded wage employment for their livelihood security. • Target Group The rural family member who all are adult and who have demanded wage employment through labour work. .

4. Fund bifurcation 1.The total unskilled labour wage rate from the central Govt. assistance 2. The raw material cost from 75% by Central Govt. & 25% by State Govt. 3. The administrative cost from the central government. 4. Unemployment allowances provided by the State Govt.

5. NREGA Paradigm Shift in Poverty Alleviation • First timeLaw guaranteeing wage employment on such a large scale • Rights-based framework: Workers have the right to • demand employment to get work within 15 days of demand • get unemployment allowance if employment is not provided within 15 days • get wages within 15 days of work done • Elaborate transparency safeguards • Documents: Job cards with workers, Written application for works, Muster Rolls • Processes: Acceptance of employment application, issue of dated receipts, Time bound work allocation and wage payment • Social Mobilization of workers through IEC and social audit • Information in Public Domain: Citizen Information Board for local information, MIS for public access to NREGA data, Knowledge Network: for creating an e-community of practioner innovation forged at site • Accountable Personnel at critical levels: Work site mates, Gram Rozgar Sewaks, Programme Officers, Technical Assistants • Decentralization: Local bodies (PRIs) and Gram Sabha as agents of legal guarantee • Empowerment • Entitlement of workers to chose to work, check records and seek redressal • Participatory planning at local community • Financial Inclusion: Wage payment through banks and post offices

6. Expectations from NREGA • Primary • Supplement employment opportunities • Auxiliary • Regenerate natural resource base • of rural livelihood for sustainable • development • Process Outcomes • Strengthen grass root processes of democracy • Infuse transparency and accountability • in governance

7. Implementation Process • The Scheme Fund Management 1. All Gram Panchayat have separate account for the scheme. 2. At the district level District Programme Coordinator (DDO), Deputy District Programme Coordinator, At Block level - Block Development Officer, Astt. Programme Officer At Gram Panchayat level – Secretary of Panchayat & Surpanch maintained their separate account system for fund operation. • Main Implementing Authorities Zila Panchayat > Janpad Panchayat > Gram Panchayat & other Govt. line Department.

8. List of possible work that could be under taken under NREGA • Water conservation & water harvesting • Drought Proofing • Micro irrigation works • Provision of irrigation facility to land owned by SCs & STs ,beneficiaries of land reforms • Renovation of traditional water bodies • Land development • Flood control & protection • Rural connectivity

9. Utilization of funds and Administrative procedure • 50% works through Gram Panhayat • 30% works through Janpad Panchayat • 20% works through Zila Panchayat • Technical Sanction (TS) and Administrative Sanction (AS) of the works should be taken before take up the work • if Gram Panchayat is unable to complete the work then Janpad panchayat can take up that work directly.

10. Procedures for Registration and issuing of job cards • An applicant submit the identity proof with application to GP. • Gram Panchayat have to issue job card for to house hold with in 15days. • Demand of work for wage employment should be for working for at least 14 days. • Wage employment provided by the Gram Panchayat should be within the range of 5Km distance from the applicant residential place

11. Information & Awareness process for NREGA The rural public awareness through 1. Local news papers press note 2. Local language pamphlets 3. Different mass media & community awareness at implementing stage through Gram sabha.

12. Training Target groups of training are: • Gram Rozgar Sewak • Programme Officer • Engineers -Block /District • IT Personnel -Block /District • *Accounts Personnel –Block /District • PRIs • GP Sarpanches( Priority)

13. Activities under Training • Training calendar to be drawn up • Training modules to be calibrated in content and process according to the different target groups of training • Training to be in local language • Cascade Model for Training. Training of trainers (TOT) at the District / Block / GP levels -District Resource Group -Block Resource Group

14. Key Components of Training • Enabling Local Communities to know their Rights under the Act • Procedures for registration and issue of Job Card • Procedures for employment application • Procedures for Planning and Executing Works • Maintenance of Muster rolls • Norms of Measurement • Wage Payment • Unemployment Allowance • Update of Job Cards • Maintenance of Records • Maintenance of Accounts • Procedures for Social Audit • RTI

15. Urgent need for Training & IEC • To make the NREGS self-sustaining in Districts, there is a urgent need for empowerment and streamlining system at all levels (GP, Block and District) through systemised Training and well established IEC system, which can be done through external professional agency.

16. Agencies with Critical Functions • Gram Sabha: • Panchayats: Principal agencies for planning and implementation • Gram Panchayat : basic unit of implementation. • In each Block, a “Programme Officer” is to coordinate the implementation of EGS • District Programme Coordinator at district level: Collector / CEO • State Employment Guarantee Council

17. Functions related to Demand for Employment Functions related to Demand for Employment

18. Functions related to Planning of Works

19. Functions related to Planning of Works

20. Functions related to Planning& execution of Works

21. Functions related to Record, Report, Review, Redressal

22. Lessons Learnt from First Phase of NREGS Implementation: Mistakes that must avoided

23. Problem: Lack of Awareness • Basic Problem: Key Stake holders: Wage Seekers/PRIS/ Block functionaries lack adequate understanding of NREGA • Adverse effect on all NREG Processes: • Demand Process Biggest Challenge: Moving from Supply based wage employment programmes to Demand based NREGA -No Application for registration and Job Card by wage seekers -No Written Application for Employment by wage seekers -Works opened on administrative fiat. Not wage seekers demand

24. Problem: Lack of Awareness -Generating Awareness through IEC. Civil Society organisations should be enlisted • Keeping a shelf of projects ready and displaying it on GP walls indicating that work is ready if someone wants to demand it. • Deploying a full time Gram Rozgar Sewak to give information, and keep GP premises open for applications to be submitted • Training GP/GP functionaries and Block functionaries on the Act’s Procedures

25. Problems: Guarantee Process Registration • Refusing oral application • Registering only Below Poverty Line families. • Refusing locally domiciled but migrant families. • Denying registration on the basis of gender, caste and creed. • Inordinate delay in verification.

26. Problem: Job Cards • Inordinate time gap between registration and issue of Job Card. • Issuing a Job Card to each individual. • Including names of minors on Job Cards. • Pricing the Job Card. • Charging the cost of the photographs on the beneficiary. • Issuing Job Cards on work sites. • Defective Job Card format: Does not have columns for basic essential information

27. Dilution of Time Bound Guarantee • No dated receipt for application by GP • Delay in allotting employment • Delay in starting Works

28. Processes related to Works: Planning Problems • Priorities of the Gram Panchayat are often superseded by Block and District Panchayats • Delay in approvals of works -Through the 3 tier PRI structure -AS/TS • Often no or Inadequate Shelf of Projects • No Perspective Plans • Duplication of works among different programmes

29. Processes related to Works Execution Problems • Inflated Muster Rolls with bogus names. • Employing non job card holders on works • Booking non working persons or skilled labour as unskilled labour and pay him/her out of a portion of the labouring persons’ wage. • Measurement Books not maintained. Delay in measurements. • Temporary (kachcha) muster rolls persist. • Minors employed on works • Contractor- based works. • Use of machinery. • Exceeding 40% of material component.

30. Monitoring systems Output and Outcomes • Records and data not properly maintained • Lack of regular review at District/Block levels • Lack of monitoring and verification by District/ Block functionaries • No system of external verifications or random checks • Delay in reports: Reported data inconsistent, unauthenticated • Outcomes: Areas of concern: -Less than 100 days of employment - Quality of works and benefits created

31. Performance so far . . . of NREGS Implementation:

32. PERFORMANCE SO FAR……. AUGMENTING EMPLOYMENT GENERATION: INCREASE IN PERSON DAYS In Crore WEP: Wage Employment Programmes

33. PERFORMANCE SO FAR……. TOWARDS GENDER EQUITY: WOMEN WORK FORCE PARTICIPATION RATIO UNDER NREGA • Tamil Nadu (82%) • Rajasthan (70%) • Kerala (67%) • Andhra Pradesh (56%) • Karnataka (52%) • Gujarat (49%) • Uttarakhand (44%) • Madhya Pradesh (43%) WOMEN 43% At least 1/3rd of the beneficiaries shall be women who have registered and requested for work under the Scheme (NREGA ACT, Schedule II, Section 6) Year-2007-08

34. PERFORMANCE SO FAR……. RegeneratingNatural Resource Base of Rural Livelihood Highest Priority to Water Conservation in Choice of Works under NREGA

35. PERFORMANCESO FAR……. AIMING AT WAGE SECURITY OF LABOURERS Major Share of expenditure as wage earnings of labour Material Rs. 3506.92 Crore (33%) Wages: Rs. 7244.36 Crore (67%)

36. Empowering workers on work site

37. Regenerating natural resources Dungarpur, Rajasthan Water Conservation & Harvesting Works 2006-07: Total works (266365) Water storage capacity generated: 737 Lakh Cu Mt. 2007-08:Total works (347515) Water storage capacity generated: 960.9 Lakh Cu Mt. Rajnandgaon, Chattisgarh Flood Control & Protection 2006-07: Total works (17113) Drainage construction & repair: 3 Lakh Km. 2007-08: Total works (29509) Drainage construction & repair: 4.49 Lakh Km. Udaipur, Rajasthan Micro Irrigation Work 2006-07: Total works (27682) Canals Created: 0.13 Lakh Km. 2007-08: Total works (57557) Canals Created: 0.29 Lakh Km.

38. Provision of Irrigation facility to Land Owned by SC/ST Rajnandgaon, Chattisgarh Regenerating natural resources 2006-07: Total works (80794) Land provided with irrigation Facility: 0.16 Lakh Hect. 2007-08:Total works (161508) Land provided with irrigation Facility : 0.40 Lakh Hect. Dindigul, Tamil Nadu Renovation of Traditional Water bodies 2006-07: Total works (59924) Water storage capacity renovate: 481 Lakh Cu Mt 2007-08: Total works (97760) Water storage capacity renovate : 785 Lakh Cu Mt Udaipur, Rajasthan Land Development 2006-07: Total works (88557) Land leveling & bundling done: 3.35 Lakh Hect. 2007-08: Total works (88557) Land leveling & bundling done: 6.65 Lakh Hect.

39. Drought Proofing Regenerating natural resources Sidhi, Madhya Pradesh 2006-07: Total works (77305) Land Afforestation & Tree Plantation: 3.45 Lakh Hect. 2007-08:Total works (113294) Land Afforestation & Tree Plantation : 5.55 Lakh Hect. Rural Connectivity Villupuram, Tamil Nadu 2006-07: Total works (179661) Roads Created: 2.36 Lakh Km. 2007-08: Total works (206398) Road Created : 2.72 Lakh Km

40. Impact of NREGA: Emerging Trends • Impact on land productivity: • Second crop on SC/ST farms in some states Chattisgarh, MP, Rajasthan • Rise in Water table: Dungarpur (Rajasthan) has come out of dark zone • Increase in workforce’s awareness of minimum wages and task rates • Impact on minimum wages Significant upward revision in Maharashtra, Orissa, Bihar, UP, Jharkhand. • Work Time Motion Studies undertaken for revision of schedule of rates (SORs) to set realistic productivity norms to enable workers to earn minimum wages • Wage negotiation capacity of wage earners developing vis a vis private employment: Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu

41. Cont.. • Reduction in distress migration: Rajasthan,AP,Chattisgarh • Financial Inclusion: Savings accounts of wage earners in Banks/Post Offices in some States: AP, Karnataka Jharkhand: 93.00lakh accounts • Insurance of wage earners in some districts: Pakur, Gumla, Ranchi ( Jharkhand) • Developing Literacy skills among wage earners (Raichur in Karnataka) • Convergence with other development programmes: Jetropha ( Chattisgarh, MP) Forest Nurseries ( Udaipur in Rajasthan, Khandwa in MP) Bund ( Gonda, UP)

42. Thank You ...