STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The completion rate of works under the MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act), 2005 in Assam for the financial year 2020-21 is extremely poor.
According to government statistics – out of a total of 1,63,231 works under MGNREGA, only 16,544 works were completed during the year. With a mammoth number of 1,46,687 works still to be completed across the State, the MGNREGA work completion rate in that fiscal was only 10.14 per cent.
The statistics revealed that Kamrup Metro had the worst work completion rate with a mere 1.3 per cent. As many as 461 works were started in the district; however, only six were completed.
Followed by Kamrup Metro, Sivasagar district was among the worst performers with a works completion rate of 1.88 per cent. While a total of 1,120 works were started in the district, only 21 were completed. On the other hand, as many as 1,099 works are yet to be completed.
Among all the districts of Assam, Hojai has the highest works completion rate with 32.77 per cent. Out of a total of 6,658 works, Hojai completed 2,182 works.
It is to be noted that the MGNREGA aims to enhance livelihood security in rural areas by providing at least 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
In Assam, the MGNREGA works are implemented by the panchayats under the monitoring of the P&RD (Panchayat and Rural Development) Department.