Around 65000 houses in Manipur provided employment under NREGA

New Delhi, Feb 7 (UNI) Out of 86458 households, who demanded employment in Manipur under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), 64458 households were provided employment during the current year 2007-08 till the end of December 2007.

According to official sources, in all 20024 households who demanded employment in Tamenglong district and 44434 households in Churachandpur district were provided employment during the period.

''No employment had been given to around 22000 households who had demanded employment in the Chandel district,'' sources informed.

There were a total of 1232 works under the programme in Manipur.

Out of which, two works were completed and 1230 works were in progress. In Churachandpur, 839 works; and in Tamenglong, 391 works were in progress and two works completed. During the same period, about 15.34 lakhs of persons per day were generated in Manipur.

The NREGA, 2005, which commenced on February 2, 2006 in 200 districts extended to more 130 districts from April 1, 2007, and will be extended to the remaining districts of the country with effect from April 1, 2008.

It guarantees 100 days of employment in a financial year to any rural household, whose adult members are willing to do unskilled manual work.

The Act is a 'Peoples Act' in a sense. It was prepared through a wide range of consultation with people's organisations. Second, the Act addresses itself chiefly to working people and their fundamental Right to life with dignity. Third, it empowers ordinary people to play an active role in the implementation of Employment Guarantee schemes through Gram Sabhas, social audits, participatory planning and other means.

''More than any other law, NREGA is an Act of the people, by the people and for the people,'' the sources added.

UNI BKS PY DB2101