NEW DELHI: Ensuring a job card under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) is turning out to be a Herculean task for the government as over 25 Lakh poor households are yet to be extended the benefits.
The Centre on September 2 has written a letter to all the states seeking completion of tasks by November, 2015. There are 1,51,729 registered households in Tamil Nadu to whom the job cards have not been issued. In Karnataka, that number stands at 60,035 households, while in Kerala it is 23,908 households.
“We would like states to address the issues....ensuring a job card with every household that has reported deprivation in the socio-economic census. This may kindly be ensured in the planning process during the intensive participatory planning exercise starting from October 2, 2015. States may kindly ensure that every poor household has a job card by November 30, 2015,” JK Mohapatra, Secretary, Rural Development wrote.
Bihar has the highest number of registered poor households to whom job cards have not been issued, followed by 4,04,136 in Maharashtra, 3,14,001 in Uttar Pradesh and 2,18,498 in West Bengal. Over 19,000 households in Gujarat, 1,22,361 in J&K and 1,21,332 in Rajasthan are also left out.
The Centre is also establishing a simple system of demand registration for work where states will advertise it through wall-writing and other means, that work would be available on demand.
“Evaluation studies have pointed out that there are a large number of incomplete works under MNREGS. This requires attention of states and highlights the need for timely measurement of works and closure after payments,” Mohapatra said. States argue that funds are inadequate to engage technical staff.