NATIONAL RURAL EMPLOYMENT GUARANTEE SCHEMES

The National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme is the most distinctive flagship scheme taken up by the Ministry of Rural Development. In fact, it is a new and unique job scheme. The scheme envisages enhancing livelihood security in rural areas by providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. The scheme was first introduced in the Tamenglong District of Manipur in the year, 2006-07. It was launched on 13th April, 2006 at District Headquarter, Tamenglong by distributing Job Cards to registered applicants by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Manipur. 2 (two) more districts, viz. Chandel and Churachandpur have also been covered during the current financial year, 2007-08. The scheme is implemented as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) on cost sharing basis between the centre and the state in the ratio of 90:10. As required under the NREGA, the Government of Manipur had formulated a scheme called the “Manipur Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MREGS)”. The focus of the scheme shall be on the following works in their order of priority :

PERMISSIBLE WORKS under NREGS
a. Water conservation and water harvesting;
b. Drought proofing (including afforestation);
c. Irrigation canals including micro and minor irrigation works
d. Provision of irrigation facility to land owned by households belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, beneficiaries of land reforms, or beneficiaries of Indira Awaas Yojana;
e. Renovation of traditional water bodies including de-silting of tanks;
f. Land development
g. Flood control and protection works including drainage in water logged areas;
h. Rural connectivity to provide all-weather access.
i. Any other work which may be notified by the Central Government in consultation with the State Government.