Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Feb 14: Notwithstanding tall claims of the State Government, several loopholes and shortcomings have been detected in the implementation of flagship programme—MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme) in Jammu and Kashmir.
The shortcomings have come to the fore during the Evaluation Study conducted in three sample districts namely Jammu, Pulwama and Leh by the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, which is a development evaluation agency of the State.
The Evaluation Study revealed that 1913 beneficiaries constituting 98% of the enquired beneficiaries stated to have been provided wage employment within 15 days of applications for works. However, no unemployment allowance was paid in favour of the beneficiaries, who were not provided employment within the time limit of 15 days which had become due to them as per norms of the scheme, said the Economic Survey for the year 2013-14.
“In the surveyed villages, 1076 beneficiaries constituting 55% of the enquired number stated to have received wages within a week/fortnight and the remaining 45% reported that they had not received wages within the stipulated period. The majority of them had reportedly received wages 30-60 days after the work was done”, the Survey said, adding “this is a clear violation of norms and needs to be addressed by the implementing department”.
Regarding better environment at worksites, it was observed during Evaluation Study that the provisions of the Act/Scheme were not taken seriously. “Not a single crèche was provided during 2011-12 in any of the worksites in the sample villages inspite of the fact that maximum women participation was reported in Chuchot block of Leh district”, the Economic Survey said quoting findings of the study.
“The medical aid facility which is the need of every worksite was reportedly provided to 1% beneficiaries only and the facility of shed was reportedly provided in just 4% of the enquired beneficiaries”, the study said, adding during the reference period the participation of women workers under the scheme in the sample blocks had remained around 11% and only 54533 person days out of total 4.90 lakh person days were availed by women workers in the sample blocks.
Stating that on an average every job card holder household availed about 34 days against 100 days available to them, the study said, “this simply means that only 34% benefit of the scheme was derived in the enquired villages both in terms of wages and assets creation’, adding “only one major problem—low rate of wage as compared to prevalent market rate came to the fore during the enquiry of beneficiaries on the problems and bottlenecks”.
“Inspite of 100 job days available for every registered household, only 14% had applied for the maximum number of 100 days and one of the main reasons of low demand is the low rate of wages as compared to market rate”, the study pointed out.
The study further said: “The quality of construction was put on a scale and only 37% works were rated good, 57% found of average quality and 6% of the total verified works were found of poor quality. This situation warrants that the labour material ratio under MGNREGA needs revisiting in view of huge price escalation in material costs”.
The Evaluation Study has suggested that the supervisory system of the scheme should be strengthened and stakeholders be sensitized to pave the way for creation of durable and quality assets for well being of the rural masses.
Regarding benefits accruing to the rural areas under MGNREGA, 70% knowledgeable persons reported that village connectivity improved and 72% stated improvement in the irrigation facilities of the villages, the study said, adding the land development works have been executed and reported by 41% knowledgeable persons and afforestration by 30%.
It is pertinent to mention here that in order to review the progress of Evaluation Studies assigned and to finalize the evaluation programmes, the Directorate of Economics and Statistics convenes a meeting of the State Level Evaluation Committee under the chairmanship of Principal/ Administrative Secretary, Planning and Development Department every year.
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