Implement MGNREGA effectively during pandemic, advise experts

Covid-19 induced nationwide lockdown came as a blow to lakhs of people, who lost their jobs all over the country during the first wave that struck last year. There was reverse migration and a large number of people returned to rural areas as it became difficult for them to survive during the Covid-19 and lockdown situation in the state from the last one year.

It was at this time, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) Scheme, popularly known as NREGA came to their help. Many migrant workers who returned to their hometowns due to coronavirus outbreak were able to find jobs under MGNREGS.

Lakhs of people working as manual labourers were the worst hit. These casual workforce come in search of jobs to towns and cities from rural locations as migrants. Once the economic activities came to a sudden halt in urban areas, these workers had to return to their natives.

However, there is a widespread opinion that implementation of the programme needs to be more effective in rural areas as it can create more employment opportunities during the current pandemic situation. In this programme, each family will be getting 100 days of employment in a year.

According to D V Gopalappa, Professor and Chairman, Department of Studies in Economics and Cooperation, University of Mysore, the programme implementation is the problem as it is not being done as per the guidelines of the Act. Implementation of MGNREGS needs to be more effective in the rural areas as it can create more employment opportunities during the present pandemic situation and it helps the rural people to earn their livelihood.

Various studies have been conducted in parts of Mysuru district and there are allegations that the contractors, along with Gram Panchayat (GP) members have been misusing the resources allocated for the MGNREGS, Gopalappa said. It is alleged that the contractors use machines of their own to carry out the works in the respective GPs. As per the rules, wages are deposited on the accounts of job card holders. In case of one labourer working for about six days in a week his total wages will be Rs 1,734 of which the beneficiary will get about Rs 300 and the remaining will be handed over to the contractor.

Certification is done to say that the programmes like check dams, farm ponds, land reclamation, bund formation, social forestry, roads, repair of public properties are implemented within the GP boundaries. Once the certification is completed, the officials are happy of reaching the target, bills are cleared and the elected representatives get their commissions, it is alleged.

All these resulted in the partial implementation of MGNREGS works. This has curtailed the development in the rural areas and the objective of the programme is not sustained.

There are studies conducted by many research institutions and the universities that the MGNREGS is only a partial success to the extent of only about 35 per cent. The effective implementation of the MGNREGS reduces the pressure on land as it generates employment to the extent of about 31 per cent in the villages.