Tripura at numero uno in providing employment

Tripura outshone other states of the nation in providing employment to rural households under the national rural employment scheme.

It is for the second consecutive year, in 2012-2013 that Tripura topped in implementing MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) in the state.

The scheme provides 100 days of employment to one member of a family in rural areas every year.

Tripura bettered the national average of 39 days of work and provided 87 days of work on an average to a rural household in the state.

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State rural development minister of Tripura, Jitendra Chowdhury claimed that the scheme had resulted in the improvement of the standard of living of the rural poor.

"Enhancement of the livelihood of the rural people, it is ensured, it is done. So that way REGA (MNREGA) in one hand providing 100 mandates to the rural poor, on other hand the livelihood of the rural poor through different operations, the agriculture, irrigation channel, plantation etc so many other things out of this, permissible areas is done," said Chowdhury.

A number of locals employed under the scheme were seen working in the agricultural fields under the scheme.

The locals expressed their happiness over the employment scheme as they believed that they would be able to provide a better life to their children.

"We are poor people and live in the villages but after getting work under MGNREGA, we could develop as the earned money helped in educating our children and fulfil the needs of our family," said Anita Debbarma, a local.

Other states of the nation like Assam and West Bengal were able generate only 21.20 man days and 32 man days respectively.

The scheme has not only benefited locals but different operations under the scheme also led to better connectivity through construction of roads.

However, the limelight of the scheme remains that more women than men were employed under MGNREGA in Tripura.

Based on the outstanding performance of the scheme, the central government sanctioned a labour budget of rupees 120 billion ($2.13 billion) during 2012-2013 for Tripura.

MGNREGA, sometimes just called NREGA, is one of the Congress party's signature policy measures.