National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme had been launched by the Government of India in all Gram Panchayats of districts Mahendergarh and Sirsa on 2nd Feb., 2006 and this scheme was also extended to two more districts namely Ambala and Mewat w.e.f. 1st April, 2007. The remaining 16 districts of the State have been covered under the scheme w.e.f. 1-4-2008.
Objectives
Enhancement of livelihood security to the households in rural areas of the State by providing round the year employment with minimum guarantee of one hundred days of wage employment in a financial year to every household who volunteer to do unskilled manual work. Secondary objective is the creation of assets for development of rural areas.
Target Group
Scheme is open to all rural households who are in need of wage employment and desire to do manual and unskilled work.
Period of employment should ordinarily be atleast fourteen days continuously with not more than six days in a week.
Gram Panchayat or Block Programme Officer shall provide unskilled manual work to the applicant within fifteen days of receipt of application preferably within a radius of 5 kilometers of the village, where the applicant resides. In case the employment is provided such radius, it must be provided within the Block and the labourers shall be paid 10% of the wage rate as extra wages to meet additional transportation and living expenses.
Focus areas-Type of works
The focus of the programme shall be on the following works in their order of priority:-
1- Water conservation and water harvesting.
2- Drought proofing. Afforestation and tree plantation including horticulture in community lands and in the lands belonging to Scheduled Castes and the beneficiaries of land reforms, small and marginal farmers.
3- Irrigation canals including micro and minor irrigation works such as desilting of minor irrigation channels, canals, distributaries, construction of minor irrigation tanks.
4- Provision of irrigation facility to land owned by households belonging to Scheduled Castes or to land beneficiaries of land reforms or that of the beneficiaries under Indira Awaas Yojana of the Government of India.
5- Renovation of traditional water bodies including desilting of tanks.
6- Land development
7- Flood Control and protection works including drainage in water logged areas.
8- Rural connectivity to provide all weather access. The construction of roads may include culverts where necessary and within the village area may be taken up along with drains.
9- The state Government may notify any other work in consultation with the Central Government.
SALIENT FEATURES
1. The Government of India has passed an Act that guarantees 100 days of wage employment in a year to every rural household whose adult members are willing to do unskilled manual work.
2. Who can apply for employment under the Act?
All adult members of a rural household, even if any person is already employed/engaged for few months in a year, he/she has right to demand employment as unskilled manual worker under this scheme.
3. What is the kind of employment that the Act guarantees?
The Act guarantees unskilled manual employment, but also addresses the special need of physically challenged individuals and women.
4. How many days of the year can one get this employment?
A household is entitled for 100 days of work in a year and that can be divided among adult members of the household or whatever way the head of the household wants.
5. What must one do to enlist for employment under the Act?
Registration of household: The adult members of every household should submit their names, age, sex and address to the Gram Panchayat for registration and this registration will be valid for five years and is open for the whole year. Gram panchayat will do the verification of details submitted by household for registration.
6. What will the applicant receive upon registration?
A Job Card from the Gram Panchayat, this card will have photographs of adult members of registered household, it will be valid for five years and will have a unique registration number.
7. What is a Job Card. Why is it important?
A Job Card is important because it will have the registration number of the household. This card will have details about number of days on which employment provided to adult members of household and wages paid, would also enlist the works in which employment was given to the household etc.
A Job Card is a document that gives to the applicant an entitlement for employment.
8. Where can one apply for work?
One can apply for work preferable at Gram Panchayat, but in case of non-availability of work at the Gram Panchayat level the application could be made to the Programme Officer at block level.
9. How can one apply for work?
Application for work: to get employment the registered adult should request for it through an applicant on a plain paper in writing to Gram Panchayat or Programme Officer (at block level) and ask dated receipt of application. The applicant should be submitted for at least 14 days of continuous work.
For employment an application by a group can also be submitted, besides application in advance can also be submitted, indicating the date from which he/she wants employment under the Scheme.
10. Can individual application for work be submitted?
Yes, Registration of employment seekers is done household-wise. But within a registered households’ entitlement is for 100 days of employment in a year and the individual members of the household can also apply for work.
11. Where can one get employment within 15 days of the application or from the day when work is demanded?
Within 15 days of submitting the application, employment will be provided to the individual.
If employment is not provided, then the applicant would be entitled to receive un-employment allowance.
12. Who will allot employment?
Gram Panchayat and Programme Officer
13. How will one know that one has been given employment?
Applicants are to be told where and when to report for work within 15 days, by a letter sent by the Gram Panchayat. There will also be a public notice displayed on the notice board of the Gram Panchayat and at the office of the Programme Officer at the Block level, providing information on the place, date and the names of those provided employment.
14. What has the applicant to do once the employment letter has been received?
Report for work with Job Card on the date specified at the site where work has been allotted.
15. What happens if he/she does not report for work?
If the person communicated about employment doesnot report for work within fifteen days of being notified by the Gram Panchayat or Programme Officer, he or she would not be entitled for unemployment allowance.
16. Can he re-apply for work?
Yes.
17. What are the wages he will get?
The statutory minimum wage applicable to agricultural workers in the State unless the Central Government “overrides” this by notifying a different wage rate. If the Central Government decides, it may notify a wage rate, which will not be less than Rs. 60/- day.Now the minimum wage rate is Rs. 135/- per day in Haryana.
18. What will be the mode of payment-daily wages or piece rates?
Both are permitted under the Act. If wages are paid on a piece-rate basis, the schedule of rates has to be such that a person working for seven hours would normally earn the minimum wage.
19. Where will wages be paid?
Wages are to be paid every week through Bank Drafts/Post office Account or in any case “not later than a fortnight after the date on which such work was done”. A proportion of the wages in cash may be paid on a daily basis.
20. What facilities are to be made available to workers?
Safe drinking water, shade for children and periods of rest, first-aid box with adequate material for emergency treatment for minor injuries and other health hazards connected with the work.
21. Where will work be provided?
Within 5 km of applicants residence. If employment is provided beyond 5 km radius of the applicant’s residence then he/she is entitled for 10% additional wages towards transport and living expenses. If some persons are directed for work beyond 5 kilometre, than persons older in age and women shall be given preference to work on worksites near to the village.
22. What are the facilities and provisions for a worker?
a) At work site: Safe Drinking water, shades for children, periods of rest and first-aid box shall be provided at every work site by the implementing agency.
b) In case of accidents: If any labourer gets bodily injury during the course of employment at work site, the persons is entitled for free medical treatment from the State Government.
In case of hospitalization of the injured labourer, the respective State Government shall provide complete treatment, medicines, hospital accommodation without any charge and the injured person will be entitled for daily allowance which shall not be less than 50% of wage rate applicable.
In case of death or permanent disability to the registered labourer due to accident at work site, an ex-gratia payment of Rs. 25,000 or such amount as may be notified by the central Government shall be paid to the legal heir of the deceased or to the disabled as the case may be.
23. What happens if employment is not given to the eligible applicant?
If the eligible applicant does not get employment within 15 days of demand of work or the date from which he sought work (date of submitting application), he shall be provided unemployment allowance as per laid down terms and conditions.
Allowance rate: The rate of unemployment allowance will be 25% of the wage rate for the first 30 days and 50% of the wage rate after that during the financial year subject to the household entitlements of days of employment.
24. What type of work will be given?
a) Durable assets: An important objective of Scheme is to create durable assets and strengthen the livelihood resource base of the rural poor, so that, even if Scheme is closed after five years, the rural poor will have means for sustenance and they are not forced to migrate in search of employment.
b) Work done through contractors is not permissible.
c) The kind of works permissible under the Programme and according to priority are :-
i) water conservation and water harvesting;
ii) drought proofing. Afforestation and tree plantation.
iii) irrigation canals including micro and minor irrigation works;
iv) provision of irrigation facility to land owned by households belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes or to land beneficiaries of land reforms or that of the beneficiaries under the Indira Awas Yojana of the Government of India.
v) renovation of traditional water bodies including desilting of tanks;
vi) land development;
vii) flood control and protection works including drainage in water logged areas;
viii) rural connectivity to provide all-weather access. The construction of roads may include culverts where necessary and within the village area may be taken up along with drains.
ix) any other work which may be notified by the Central Government in consultation with the State Government
25. Who are the authorities responsible for implementation?
a) Responsibility: Programme office in consultation with Gram Panchayat will be responsible for implementation of the Scheme.
b) Execution of works: The Gram Panchayat will execute 50% of the sanctioned work and remaining work can be executed by line departments, NGOs and other appropriate agencies, as may be decided by District Panchayat.
26. What does each one do?
(i) Gram Sabha: Social Audit, Planning and Selection of works and according priority to works,
(ii) Gram Panchayat: Preparation of Plan for the Gram Panchayat, registration of workers, Providing Job Card to workers, Implementing 50% of the works. Payment of wages, Monitoring the performance of Programme in its area.
(iii) Programme Officer: Planning for the Block, Integrate the village-wise Plans, allotment of work, Implementation of Programme and provide employment to the workers, Provide Unemployment Allowance
(iv) Intermediate Panchayat: preparation of Block Level Plans, Monitoring and supervision of Programme at the Block level.
(v) District Programme Coordinator: overall Planning, Coordination, Implementation in the District.
(vi) District Panchayat: Planning and Monitoring of programme in the District
27. How are they accountable for what they do?
The are accountable through continuous and concurrent evaluation and audit of the programme by internal as well external evaluators. The authority to conduct social audit is vested in Gram Sabha, a Village Level Vigilance committed is to be setup by Gram Sabha to oversee each work. Moreover, any contravention of the Act shall on conviction be liable to fine which may extend to one thousand rupees. There will also be a Grievance Redressal Mechanism, that would be setup in each District.
28. When will the Scheme start?
The Scheme has been launched on 1-04-08 in District faridabad
Guidelines and Rules have been finalized. Most of the States have also formulated their Employment Guarantee Schemes.
29. What are the Guidelines and why are they required?
For the first time a legal entitlement has been provide to the workers to get employment by an Act of Parliament. To transmit an enactment into Schemes and Programmes, State level Schemes are being formulate by each State. Centre has issued guidelines to States, to provide them with basic structure for the preparation of their Schemes. In preparation of Schemes, a high degree of flexibility has been given to the States.
30. What was the process of formulation of Guidelines?
A detailed process of consultations was devised by the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India with various groups of stakeholders, experts and practitioners. Suggestions were also solicited from the citizens, through advertisements in news papers. Through such detailed process the views were gathered and discussions conducted, which eventually resulted in the formulation of guidelines. Similarly States have initiated the process of formulation of rules and Schemes.
31. What are the activities to be taken before the notification?
a. A wide and detailed communication campaign to inform and educate the Stakeholders has been initiated. Gram Sabhas in the districts have been held during febuary 2008 to mobilize the demand for employment and educate about the Programme.
b. States to finalise the list of works and prepare shelf of projects, with Technical and Administrative sanction accorded to the works. It is planned do be done in such a manner that the works are available to be taken up in each village/habitation, specially in deprived areas.
c. Key personnel involved in implementation of the Programme are being deployed.
d. key functionaries, such as functionaries of Panchayati Raj and Officials involved with implementation of the Programme are being oriented for implementation.
e. Essential documents like statinary for registration, Job Card are being printed.
32. What does notification mean and what are the activities to be taken up on that day?
The notification of districts where the Programme is to be implemented would be done during 2007-08. On this day Gram Sabha is to be held in each village and the process of registration workers would commence, but works would not start on this day.
33. What activities would be taken up after notification?
After the receipt of application for registration of workers, Gram Panchayat would conduct scrutiny of applications for registration, which would result in provision of Job Cards to those who would be found fit. After compilation of data an gereration of demand for employment, work would be allotted.
34. What are the activities to be taken up within six months?
Training is continuing process and would continue along with the implementation of the Programme. Employment would be provided to adults volunteering to do unskilled work, which should result in creation of durable assets. The works should be so selected in the shelf of project which fulfill this requirement. A full proof monitoring and evaluation mechanism would also be prepared.
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