SOIL Report 2008 - ACCESS Development Services

Public Systems: Major central government anddonor-supported programmes for Livelihood PromotionBox 5.4: NREGA - Distribution of BenefitsShare of Disadvantaged Groups in NREGA Employment2006-07 2007-08Women: 40% 42.6%Scheduled Tribes (ST): 36% 29.2%Scheduled Castes (SC): 26% 27.3%SC/ST Combined: 62% 56.5%Source: From NREGA Implementation Status reports 2007-08 and 2006-07 at NREGA websiteImpact of NREGA on Rural LivelihoodsThough the objective of 100 days of employment was not achieved in any state, NREGA is seen ashaving impacted the poor. For example, according to Mathur (2007), large numbers of unletteredhouseholds have made the effort to come forward to register; migration has reduced in several villagesin Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Rajasthan; wages less than the minimum wage were raisedin many states; the participation of women increased significantly even in the districts of Rajasthan andeastern UP; unemployment allowances were sought and actually paid in Madhya Pradesh and Orissa; themaintenance of muster rolls has become a feature in several districts. The most remarkable change isthat a process for the empowerment of the poor is emerging around NREGA with NGOs and activistsdiscovering in it a vehicle for meaningful interventions.The PACS study (PACS, 2007) notes that more than half the 600 villages covered in Maharashtra, MadhyaPradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh have reported reduced migration. Sainath(2008) notes from Andhra Pradesh that the bargaining power of the weakest has gone up a notch anddistress migration been reduced. This is confirmed by Ghosh (2008) who states that it is evident fromfield reports that there has been some improvement in consumption by the poor, reduction of distressmigration and slight increases in lean season wage rates (especially for women) in areas where the programmehas been successful.However, the performance has been uneven across districts and contexts. The varied impact at the householdand community level of the availability of wage employment on demand and the works undertakenis illustrated in selected cases (adapted from CSE, 2008) in Box 55 below.Box 5.5 Livelihood Impact of NREGA atIndividual and Community Levela process for theempowermentof the pooris emergingaroundNREGAthere hasbeen someimprovementin consumptionby the poor,reductionof distressmigration andslight increasesin lean seasonwage rates inareas where theprogramme hasbeen successful.1. Siddhi district, Rajasthan - Benefits of Water Conservation through NREGAThis is the fourth consecutive drought being faced by the dominantly agrarian district. Nepal Singh,a 50-year-old farmer in Siddhi district’s Barmani village, doesn’t remember a drought year in the pastwhen he didn’t migrate. Usually a drought means no earning, distress migration to hostile urbanareas and a step into the vicious debt trap. This year he has earned more money from agriculture7The Poorest Areas Civil Society (PACS) Programme is a large, non-governmental effort to empower millions of poor people living in many ofIndia’s most backward districts. The first phase of the programme, which ended in April 2008, covered over 19,564 villages in 94 districts of 6 statesthrough a network of over 665 civil society organisations. The second phase is expected to be launched in 2009. In the interim period, the PACSProgramme is supporting initiatives to increase the reach and effectiveness of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS). www.empowerpoor.com109