MGNREGA workdays to be increased from 100 to 200 days

MGNREGA workdays to be increased from 100 to 200 days
Yash Khajuria	9/15/2011 10:31:40
JAMMU, Sept 15: With view to engage youth in work and to divert their attention from violent tendencies, government may increase the employment days under Mahatama Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) from 100 to 200 days across the state. According to the sources, the implementation of the central scheme which was recently reviewed by the MLA M.Y Tarigami, who is chairman of the Assurance Committee of Legislative Assembly, has recommended that work days should be increased in the state keeping in view the large number of unemployed youth in the rural and far-flung areas of Jammu and Kashmir. Officials said that committee has also suggested for the amendment of the Panchayati Act for the better implementation and utilization of the central funds. “It could be an important way to divert the attention of the youth so that they don’t indulge in violence. Further it will create work employment workdays for the people”, said an official. The Committee has observed that with implementation of the scheme in rural areas, particularly those which have faced continued neglect, can empower their socio- economic status to some extent. “There is need to reach out at grass root level in the state as it is very important central scheme”, said Tarigami. Though recently a national survey has adjudged Jammu and Kashmir as best state in the country for successful implementation of schemes in Primary Health Care sector and Mahatama Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), but there are still many flaws as people have not shown much interest as the daily wages are less then what is given in private sector. In October this year government has said the engagement of as many as 17,500 supporting staff under the act to ensure timely execution of set targets. According to the economic survey carried out by the State Government in 2007-08, the funds utilization profile of NREGA during that period was very low. Data says that in Kashmir division, utilization was just 9.64 per cent of the available funds and in Jammu, it was 44.25 per cent. The report had said that the main reason was that the workers are not willing to work on the wages offered under NREGA and even those workers who have got registered fail to respond when they offered. "In the open market a laborer is getting average Rs 160 for working 9 hours a day whereas under NREGA he is getting Rs 110 only per day for working 8 hours", said a official.