MGNREGA scheme: Assam performs poorly in fiscal 2022-23

 STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: In the 2022-23 fiscal, Assam’s performance so far as creation of person days and number of households that completed 100 days of work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme are concerned, has been poor as compared to the previous fiscals.

MGNREGA is a demand-driven scheme. The primary objective of the scheme is to guarantee 100 days of employment in every financial year to adult members of any rural household willing to do unskilled manual work. Enhancement of livelihood security to the households in rural areas and creation of assets for development of rural areas are the aims of this scheme. This scheme was launched by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government but the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has also given thrust on proper implementation of this scheme.

In Assam, there are 41,60,716 households with active job cards. In the 2022-23 fiscal (which ended on March 31, 2023), Assam was able to generate 776.04 persons days (in lakhs) while only 20,776 households completed 100 days of work under MGNREGA. In the 2021-22 fiscal, on the other hand, 915.85 person days (in lakhs) were generated while 51,954 households completed 100 days of work. In the 2020-21 fiscal, 911.53 person days (in lakhs) were generated and 71, 268 households completed 100 days of work. Thus, Assam’s performance in execution of MGNREGA scheme based on these two factors has been poor in the 2022-23 financial year as compared to the previous two financial years. The government needs to ensure proper monitoring so that the MGNREGA scheme is implemented properly.

All works under the scheme are executed by the local panchayat bodies while the State Panchayat and Rural Development Department monitors the implementation of the scheme.

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