NATIONAL RURAL EMPLOYMENT GUARANTEE SCHEME (NREGA)

NREGA is designed as a safety net to reduce migration by rural poor households in the lean period through 100 days of guaranteed unskilled work provided, when demanded at minimum wage, on works focused on water conservation, land development & drought proofing.

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh launched this programme on February 2, 2006.

KEY ELEMENTS OF NREGA

• Households domiciled in a village (not just those below the poverty line) are entitled to register for seeking unskilled employment.

• Job cards containing photographs should be issued to all entitled applicants within 15 days of application.

• Demand for work from job card holders should be acknowledged and unskilled work allotted within 15 days.

• Works taken up should be predominantly for water and soil conservation, afforestation and land development.

• 50% of the works should be implemented by gram panchayat.

• The shelf of projects for a village should be recommended by the Gram Sabha and approved by the zilla panchayat.

• No contractors and machinery should be used.

• Labour intensive works with 60% wage component should be taken up.

• Payment should be made within 15 days. The State’s notified minimum wage for agricultural labour is to be applied.

• States like Karnataka, AP, TN have used bank/Post Office network for wage payment.

For understanding the various elements of this scheme you may see the NREGA User Manual

For detailed information on the following please visit: (www.nrega.nic.in)