STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The completion of works under the MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act), 2005 in Assam needs improvement.
According to Government statistics, in fiscal 2019-20, a total of 1,81,475 works were started, and 89,018 works were completed. As many as 92,439 works are yet to be completed. The MGNREGA work completion rate in that fiscal was 49.06 per cent.
Similarly, in fiscal 2020-21, a total of 1,54,660 were started, and only 14,815 works were completed. As many as 1,33,846 works remained incomplete. The works completion rate in that fiscal was 9.58 per cent.
The MGNREGA works are implemented by the panchayats under the monitoring of the P&RD (Panchayat and Rural Development) Department.
State Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass have an uphill task to improve the work completion rate under the MGNREGA in the State.
The MGNREGA was initiated with the objective of "enhancing 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". ... Thus, employment under MGNREGA is a legal entitlement.