Few takers for NREGA offer in Solan

If figures complied by the rural development department are any indication, this flagship programme of the Union government has showed that officials concerned, including elected representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions, have failed to popularise the scheme across the district.

Of the total 76,071 rural households in Solan, only 31,246 families have come forward for getting employment cards under the scheme. So far, about 500 works have been started in 211 gram panchayats of the district and out of 31,246 job card holders, only 6,586 card holders have applied for getting work under the programme.

Though the authorities concerned have spent about Rs 200 crore for providing employment to the card holders, the little interest being shown by the card holders has put a question mark over the functioning of Block development authorities in the district.

NREGA ensures at least 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to a rural household whose members voluntarily do unskilled manual work. Besides, it also helps in creating durable assets and strengthening of livelihood resource base of the rural poor. The choice of works suggested in the Act address causes of chronic poverty such as drought, deforestation and soil erosion so that the process of employment generation could be maintained on a sustainable basis.

The Act was implemented in all five development blocks of the district in April this year.

Sources in the rural department revealed that despite strong efforts of the higher authorities, the little interest being shown by the card holders has virtually hit the programme in the district.

Since NREGA provides a legal guarantee of employment to adult members of any rural household willing to engage themselves in public work at the statutory minimum wages, the alleged failure of elected members of panchayats in educating and creating necessary awareness amongst the rural people is defeating the very purpose of the programme.

Sources further revealed that besides the alleged lackadaisical attitude of officials concerned, agricultural success, including growing of cash crops, is considered to be the major factor behind the little interest shown by card holders in this scheme.

Admitting to the lukewarm response to the scheme, Project Officer of the District Rural Development Agency, Surender Saani, said despite organising a large number of awareness camps at the panchayat level, it appeared that industrialisation and profitable agricultural operations have hit the programme in the district.