MGNREGA_SAMEEKSHA

14 MGNREGA Sameeksha
Box 1.1
MGNREGA in Districts Experiencing Left-Wing Extremism
In its first Phase, MGNREGA included some of the most backward districts in the country, including Left-Wing
Extremism (LWE)-affected districts. It is relevant to look at the impact of MGNREGA in these areas as they face serious
issues in terms of limited access to economic opportunities and internal security.
A study was conducted in six LWE districts (12 blocks) of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha. The main findings
of the study were:
• Employment and Work Participation: With limited employment opportunities, outside MGNREGA, all three
states have low average annual days of employment; in Odisha average days of employment were 35–40 days, in
Chhattisgarh 60–70 days and in Jharkhand 150 days.
Thus, MGNREGA provides additional employment days and is an important source of supplementary income. The
average days of employment under MGNREGA ranged from seven in Malkangiri (Odisha), to 55 person days in Bastar
(Chhattisgarh). Noticeably, in all the blocks surveyed, women participation was above the statutory minimum of 33
per cent.
• Wages: Wages in different agriculture operations have gone up following the introduction of MGNREGA. Pre-
MGNREGA (agriculture wage in 2005–06) wages for women were in the range of Rs 20/day (in Bastar, Chhattisgarh)
to around Rs 55/day (in Khunti, Jharkhand). Wages for men were in the range of Rs 37/day (in Gumla, Jharkhand)
to Rs 75/day (in Khunti, Jharkhand).
Post MGNREGA in FY 2009–10, the wages for women were in the range of Rs 80/day(in Bastar, Chhattisgarh) to
Rs 105/day (in Dhamtari, Chhattisgarh). For men, the wages were Rs 45 (in Gumla, Jharkhand) to Rs 70/day (Dhenkanal,
Odisha). The study suggests that the increase in female wages was greater than for men.
• Household Income: The increase in overall employment and wages also resulted in an increase in household income.
In Chhattisgarh, the increase in household income ranged from 23 per cent–160 per cent (as compared to 2005–06),
in Jharkhand it ranged from 60 per cent–70 per cent and in Odisha it ranged from 30 per cent–40 per cent.
• Other Specific Issues: The study also highlighted some area specific issues such as, problem in wage payments
through banks (due to limited bank branches and distance), execution of road work (which is often blocked by
Naxals to prevent access to military and police).
To respond to the problem of payment through banks the GoI has allowed payment in cash (also see Chapter 6).
Source: Kaustav Banerjee and Partha Saha, ‘The NREGA, the Maoists and Development Woes of Indian State’, Economic and
Political Weekly, vol. 65, no. 28, 10 July 2010.
all cultivated area (80 per cent of all land holdings).
MGNREGA can play a significant role in raising the
agricultural productivity of these farmers who will
then be able to return to farming and will no longer
need to depend on the Scheme for their survival. This
is a step in the direction of moving from unskilled
manual labour to skilled farming practices. 45 In this
regard, it is interesting to note that since the inception
of the programme (as per MIS/Monthly Progress
Reports), out of the total individual beneficiaries
(on whose land work has been undertaken) almost
50 per cent have not sought employment under the
Scheme, following the work on their land. This may
suggest that MGNREGA is realising its objective in
making these farmers self-dependent. There could
also be other possible reasons, such as beneficiaries
not being provided work after work has been taken
up on their land, etc. In any case, this is certainly a
trend that requires further research and analysis.
A state-wise analysis of the number of works under
this category suggests an extreme variation in the
number of private works taken up in states (see Table
45
Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), ‘Report of the Committee on Revision of MGNREGA: Operational Guidelines’,
New Delhi: MoRD, 2012.