MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)
(a) to (c): The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (Mahatma Gandhi NREGS) is a demand driven wage employment programme which provides for the enhancement of livelihood security of the households in rural areas of the country by providing at least 100 days of Guaranteed wage employment in every financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. However, the State Government may make provisions for any period beyond the guaranteed 100 days. Recently, State Government of Odisha has requested to enable the provision in NREGASoft (an online platform for Mahatma Gandhi NREGS) for additional 200 days in 20 migration prone blocks of 4 Districts. The additional expenditure shall be borne by the State Government. The request has been accepted and provision has been enabled in NREGASoft.
(d) : So far as enhancement of guaranteed days of employment is concerned, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (Mahatma Gandhi NREGA) manadtes at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to each household in rural areas whose adult members volunteers to do unskilled manual work. In addition to this, there is a provision for additional 50 days of unskilled wage employment in a financial year in drought/natural calamity notified rural areas. As per Section 3 (4) of the Mahatma Gandhi NREG Act, 2005, the State Governments may make provision for providing additional days beyond the period guaranteed under the Act from their own funds.
(e) : As per section 6(1) of Mahatma Gandhi NREGA, the Central Government may, by notification, specify the wage rate for unskilled work for its beneficiaries. Accordingly, the Ministry of Rural Development notifies wage rate for unskilled workers under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA every financial year. To compensate the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (Mahatma Gandhi NREGS) workers against inflation, the Ministry of Rural Development revises the wage rates every financial year based on Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labourer (CPI-AL). The wage rate is made applicable from 1st April of each financial year.
(f) : Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (Mahatma Gandhi NREGS) is a gender neutral programme which promotes participation of women by providing wage parity with men, provision of separate schedule of rates of wages for women, facilities for creche, work-side sheds for children and child care services. In convergence with NRLM, women mates have also been introduced, which again facilitate the participation of women. The Scheme also endeavors to provide works near the residence of the beneficiaries. These measures enhance participation of women.
Following welfare measures to workers under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA at worksite, as elaborated in Schedule II of Mahatma Gandhi NREGA, 2005, also promote health and safety of women:-
i. Priority shall be given to women in such a way that at least one-third of the beneficiaries shall be women who have registered and requested for work. Efforts to increase participation of single women shall be made.
ii. The facilities of 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 being performed shall be provided at the works site.
iii. In case the number of children below the age of five years accompanying the women working at any site is five or more, provision shall be made to depute one of such women workers to look after such children. The person so deputed shall be paid wage rate.
iv. If any personal injury is caused to any person employed under the Scheme by any accident arising out of and in the course of his employment, he shall be entitled to such medical treatment as required, free of cost.
v. Where hospitalisation of the injured worker is necessary, the State Government shall arrange for such hospitalisation including accommodation, treatment, medicines and payment of daily allowance which is not less than half of the wage rate.
vi. If a person employed under the Scheme meets with death or becomes permanently disabled by accident arising out of and in the course of employment, he or his legal heirs, as the case may be, shall be paid by the implementing agency an ex gratia as per entitlements under the Aam Aadmi BimaYojana or as may be notified by the Central Government.
vii. If any personal injury is caused by accident to a child accompanying a person who is employed under the Scheme, such person shall be entitled to medical treatment free of cost; and in case of death or disablement of the child due to the said accident, ex gratia shall be paid to the legal guardians as determined by the State Government.
viii. Grievance redressal mechanisms are required to be set up at all levels including the block and the district level. Ombudspersons have also been mandated for all the districts implementing the Scheme. In addition, the same can also be taken up in course of social audit. The Central Govt. monitors the disposal of grievance through its system of CPGRAM. These measures also promote the safety of the women.
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