NREG Scheme a success story in backward states

New Delhi, July 16 (UNI) The two backward but large states of Madhya Pradesh and Bihar are front-runners among the states in terms of jobs provided under the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government's flagship programme, the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, bringing down the acute rural distress.

According to official sources, the states where the programme is being implemented in a large number of districts are: Bihar (23), Uttar Pradesh (22), Orissa (19), Jharkhand (20), Madhya Pradesh (18), Andhra Prdesh (13) and Maharashtra (12).

This indicates that the spread of the programme is wide in these states. The heartening fact of the NREG story is that against employment demanded by 5.7 million job seekers, 4.2 million jobs could be created under 81,199 works in the country in 200 districts in 27 states till June 2, 2006.

The clamour for funds under the NREG is primarily from the two backward BIMARU states of Madhya Pradesh and Bihar which received applications from 16,66,665 and 16,57,522 job seekers respectively.

The Act aims to enhance livelihood security in rural areas by providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.

Surprisingly, the Left-ruled states of West Bengal and Kerala are not represented as also the Northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Asom, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim due to the states' failure to furnish requisite details.

According to the data available, of the total 42,89,464 employment provided for under 81,199 works in progress till June 2 last, Madhya Pradesh had provided 1.2 million jobs for 14,321 works, followed by Bihar with 1.0 million jobs while Rajasthan was placed a distant third with 7,27,995 jobs.

Next was Jharkhand (employment creation of 467,832) while Andhra Pradesh came in fifth -- having provided 347,084 jobs.

The NREG Act, which figures in the UPA government's National Common Minimum Programme, is taking credit for the successful implementation of the scheme aimed at rural labour as the work guarantee also serves in generating productive assets, protecting the environment, empowering rural women, reducing rural-urban migration and fostering social equity, among others.

Countrywide against a total of 25.4 million applications for registrations, 17.0 million job cards were issued.

However, there was a substantial shortfall in the number of jobs created.

Bottom of the heap were Jammu and Kashmir (4,129 employment provided), Uttaranchal (6,206) and Haryana (6,602).

Central funds allocated to all 27 states under the NREG Act totalled Rs 397,675 lakh. The main beneficiaries were Madhya Pradesh (Rs 93,617.22 lakh), Bihar (Rs 40,503.38 lakh) and Rajasthan (Rs 40,000 lakh).

In Madhya Pradesh, which implemented the scheme with vigour, the demand for employment was against the demand of 1.6 million job applicants. The Centre released Rs 93,617.22 lakh for 14,321 works in progress in 18 districts. Altogether more than 3.6 million job cards were issued in the state.

Against the demand for jobs from 1.6 million aspirants, Bihar was successful in providing jobs to 1.0 million of them in 23 districts of the state. Funds totalling Rs 40,503.38 lakh were spent on 1,655 works in progress in the state.

Though the demand for jobs was highest in Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh reported 3.9 million registrations and Orissa was placed in the third slot with 2.5 million registrations.

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