A subtle shift by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in its approach to the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), without changing its basic features, has allowed more funding of assets owned by small farmers, helping to raise their productivity, but selection of beneficiaries needs more transparency, a government-sponsored study shows.
The NREGS, a landmark anti-poverty programme launched by the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, has been more tilted towards asset-creation under the present government, rather than being a purely wage-driven programme.
The NREGS offers 100 days’ employment a year to at least one member of a poor rural family at federally fixed minimum wages and 60% of its funds must go to agriculture and allied activities. The scheme completed 10 years in 2016.
Read more on the findings of this survey in a report by Zia Haq published in Hindustan Times...
