Union Budget: NREG Scheme to be expanded

New Delhi, Feb 28: The National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) will be expanded from the current level of 200 districts to 330 districts.

The Government has proposed to make an initial allocation of Rs 12,000 crore (including NER component) for the NREGS. The scheme was launched on February 2, 2006.

Finance Minister, P Chidambaram, while presenting the General Budget for the year 2007-08, said NREGS was a demand-driven scheme carrying a legal guarantee of employment and that the budget allocation for it would have to be supplemented according to need.

In addition, a sum of Rs 2,800 crore will be provided for Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana (SGRY) for rural employment in the districts not covered by NREGS. Besides, the allocation for Swaranjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) will be increased to Rs.1,800 crore (including NER component) next year from Rs.1,200 crore in the current year to strengthen it.

UNI