MGNREGA not a hit in far off areas

According to Rural Development Ministry data, no household or person was provided employment under the scheme in Daman and Diu in 2010-11, while it was only 2290 in Dadar and Nagar Haveli in the last financial year.

The programme which was introduced in 2006-07 was extended across the country in 2009.
According to the provisional report of Census 2011 released last week, Daman and Diu has a population of 2,42,911 and that of Dadar & Nagar Haveli is 3,42,853.

Though the total number of households provided job under the programme were in four and five digits in Goa, Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep, their performance under the scheme remained dull.

In Goa, known to many as "Pearl of the Orient", a total number of 13,897 households were provided job under the scheme in 2010-11, the ministry data said. Goa's population is 1,457,723.

In Andaman and Nicobar, referred to as "weather window to the Indian Peninsula", a total of 17,636 households were provided job under the scheme in the last financial year. Its population is 3,79,944.

In Lakshadweep, 4507 households were given employment during the period while it was 38,118 in Pondicherry during 2010-11.