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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Dreze: Bihar a dismal laggard in MGREGS by Shoumojit Banerjee

Dreze: Bihar a dismal laggard in MGREGS by Shoumojit Banerjee

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published Published on Apr 23, 2010   modified Modified on Apr 23, 2010


Bihar is one of the poorest performing States in the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGREGS), noted a team of activists and researchers led by social scientist Jean Dreze.

Professor Dreze, along with activists Ashish Ranjan and Kamayani Swami of the Jan Jagran Abhiyan (JJA), and economist Reetika Khera, on Wednesday alerted Chief Minister Nitish Kumar about the dismal state of affairs.

According to data presented by the team, Bihar lags behind even Jharkhand, with less than 10 days of work per household per year in terms of annual employment generation.

The figure remained much the same in the last four years, as compared to Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. This proved that there was “a huge unmet demand for work in Bihar.”

In Purnia and Madhubani districts, the MGREGS generated as little as one or two days of work per household per year.

During its presentation to the Chief Minister, the team emphasised setting specific employment targets at different levels coupled with strict monitoring.

Professor Dreze and his team further stressed the need to introduce works of a large-scale nature such as canal de-silting and flood protection, besides throwing open the regular gram panchayat level works to the villagers.

Staff shortage

Extensive appointments should be made swiftly to overcome the massive staff shortage, which was severely impeding the performance of the scheme.

The team demanded the activation of penalty norms under Section 25 of the MGREGA, whereby “any official who fails to do his/her duty can be fined up to Rs. 1,000.”

Productivity norms revised

Pursuant to the submission of the data, Mr. Kumar, after a three-hour intensive meeting with officials on Wednesday, issued several directives in a bid to improve the health of the scheme.

A downward revision of productivity norms by 10-15 per cent has been suggested to attract more people to the scheme.

Other measures include extensive awareness generation drives, the appointment of a full-time MGREGS commissioner in the rank of Secretary, and intensive monitoring of the scheme in districts, including weekly reports and quarterly reviews to the Chief Minister.

Mr. Kumar noted that gram panchayats would be given increased administrative powers to sanction MGREGA works, including lifting of the cap of Rs. 1 lakh, on works that can be sanctioned directly by them.


The Hindu, 23 April, 2010, http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/23/stories/2010042355601200.htm


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