The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS ) programme aims to provide employment to rural people and thereby enhance inclusive growth and is operational in the entire state. The objective of the scheme is 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. Salient features of the scheme are as under:
- All local residents of the Gram Panchayat are eligible for registration under the Scheme.
- Minimum one third beneficiaries shall be women.
- Job Cards with photographs of all the adult members of the household are issued free of cost within 15 days of registration.
- Dated receipt of application for employment is provided.
- Guarantee of providing employment within 15 days of application.
- Un-employment allowance is paid by the State Government, if employment is not provided within 15 days of application.
- Work is provided within 5 Km. radius of the village. Beyond 5 KM, 10 per cent extra wages are payable.
- Wages are to be paid as per the task performed. · Drinking water, shade, first aid and creche facilities are mandatory at worksite.
- Gram Sabha is the primary authority to identify the works and to prepare annual action plan.
- No contractors and labour placing machinery is allowed.
- Social Audit by Gram Sabha.
- All wage payments through Banks/Post Offices only.
- Gram Sabha is empowered for monitoring the progress and the quality of work.
- Effective Grievance Redressal mechanism.
