Source: The Sangai Express / Manipur Information Centre
New Delhi, November 04:
There has been encouraging progress in implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) in Manipur where Tamenglong District is covered under the scheme.
As for Manipur, out of 45172 persons demanded under the Act, all 45172 persons have been provided employment so far.
The NREGA was launched on February 2, 2006 in 200 backward districts including Tamenglong District of Manipur, in 27 States of the country.
Sources from the Ministry of Rural development stated that number of rural households in Tamenglong district was 16149 as per 2001 census.
Out of which, estimated rural families under below poverty line were 6466.As on October 23 this year, 60636 applications were registered for employment under the scheme and 17880 job cards were issued.
Out of the total fund of Rs.1250.92 lakh earmarked for Manipur under the scheme, a sum of Rs.570.89 lakh was released during the current year 2006-07.A sum of Rs.436.63 lakh sanctioned in the last financial year was also released in the current year under the scheme.
So far Rs.850.00 lakh was spent and 234 works were undertaken in the district.
Out of 234 works; nine works were under water conservation, 42 drought proofing and plantation, 151 rural connectivity and 32 other works.
Out of the expenditure of Rs.850 lakhs; the sum of Rs.498.12 lakh was spent on unskilled wage, Rs.35.64 lakh on semi-skilled and skilled wage and Rs.316.24 on material.
In the northeastern region, the scheme is being implemented in one district each of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura, two each in Meghalaya and Mizoram and seven in Assam.
Total fund available under the scheme for Arunachal Pradesh is Rs.273.25 lakh, Assam (Rs.55078.74 lakh), Meghalaya (Rs.2064.68 lakh), Mizoram (Rs.944.60 lakh), Nagaland (Rs.1485.05 lakh), Sikkim (Rs.510.07 lakh) and Tripura (Rs.4282.00 lakh).
Under the scheme; 57 works were undertaken in Arunachal Pradesh, 4065 in Assam, 118 in Nagaland 104 in Sikkim and 1399 in Tripura.
Notified in February 2006, the NREGA aims at securing livelihood of the people in rural areas by guaranteeing 100 days of employment in a financial year to a rural household.
Under the scheme, every registrant eligible for job is given a job card that is legal document, which entitles him or her to ask for work.
If employment is not provided within 15 days to a person, he or she is titled for daily unemployment allowance in cash.