Mega expansion of NREGS today

As vast parts of the country reel from the effects of a drought, the second UPA government will unveil a mega expansion of its flagship National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) on August 20, which coincides with late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi’s birth anniversary.

More than 25 new jobs, ranging from cooking of mid-day meals to running a crèche, are likely to be included to provide an alternative source of rural employment and livelihood in these difficult times.

The government also plans a convergence between different works of NREGS and its ambitious Bharat Nirman programme. Among the proposals lying before the Union rural development ministry includes setting up of Bharat Nirman Sewa Kendra, a mini secretariat under the NREGS, and the Backward Regions Grant Fund.

“This would accommodate multiple development project needs in one place and encourage convergence at the gram panchayat level. States can be advised to take this as the ‘core’ activity this financial year. This activity would need convergence of NREGS labour with funds for BRGF,” said an inertnal note from the ministry.

The ministry also plans to appoint “Lok Sewaks” for better monitoring of the programme.

Shishir Adhikary, minister of state for rural development and Trinamool Congress MP, told Business Standard: “The motto of the NREGS expansion plans is that the voice of the poor needs to be at the centre stage.”

To make it a big political event at the backdrop of the drought, Rahul Gandhi has been roped in as the guest of honour at tomorrow’s programme at Vigyan Bhawan. It was after Gandhi’s intervention a few years ago that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh promptly announced the expansion of the NREGS all over the country. The Congress wants to showcase its flagship programme as Rahul Gandhi’s pet issue.

Nandan Nilekani, who is heading the Unique ID card project on behalf of the Planning Commission, will also announce partnership between the UID project and the NREGS tomorrow. Sam Pitroda, the former chairman of the National Knowledge Commission and a close friend of the Gandhi family, will also be present in the programme.

As scanty rainfall has resulted in a drought situation in vast past of the country, the NREGS expansion will focus more on water conservation projects and restoration of water bodies.

Apart from cooking mid-day meals, the NREGS may include construction of kitchen cum store for running the mid-day meal schemes. The government also plans to bring the conservation and preservation of ancient monuments as a part of NREGS activities. In the coastal sector, there are proposals to include construction of fish landing centre, drying yards and boat jetties as new jobs. “Earth excavation for heritage monuments and its conservation” and “manufacturing of mud bricks for use in construction of Aanganwadi centres” may also be included in the list of NREGA jobs.

According to the latest estimates, 870 million persondays of work have been generated up to July 2009 in 619 districts under NREGS. While 25.2 million household were provided employment, the average persondays of work per household is just 34.