WB provides employment to 26.82 lakh households under NREGA 2006-07

New Delhi, Apr 26 (UNI) As many as 26.82 lakh households were provided employment under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in West Bengal though the demand for jobs were made by 28.57 lakh families.

The NREGA was initially launched in 10 districts of the State and another 7 districts have been added for the year 2007-08. The average number of households provided employment in a district of the State is 2,68,187, while the national average is 91,685 families. Besides, four thousand households completed the 100 days guarantee of employment provided in the Act.

The number of person days of employment provided in the State is 345.79 lakh. The average man days of employment provided in a district is 34.58 lakh compared to the national average of 36.47 lakh person days.

The employment was provided on 35,907 works, out of which 17,000 works have been completed. The average number of works taken up in a district stood at 3,591 against the national average of 3,581.

An amount of Rs 358.59 crore has been released to the State during 2006-07. Against this, the utlisation up to February,07 is Rs 311.41 crore, which is 51.92 per cent of the total availability. The average expenditure of a district in the State is Rs 31.14 crore compared to the National average of Rs 35 crore.

The Act provides that 1/3rd of the employment provided should be to women but only 19.66 per cent man person days of employment has been provided to women in the state while 35.84 per cent went to SC and 17.79 per cent to ST.

A visit to the State by the National Level Monitors in December, 2006&January 2007 has revealed that Job Cards are issued on time and wage seeker has the custody of Job Card. Entries regarding employment provided and wage paid is made on the card. Moreover, authenticated muster rolls are used at the worksite.

UNI