NREG to include work done on private land

THE ambit of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme has been significantly expanded by allowing under it work done on private land belonging to small and marginal farmers to create assets.

Small and marginal farmers are those with landholding of less than two hectares. Together, they constitute 80% of farm holdings and own 40% of the total cultivable land in the country.

According to a notification by the Rural Development Ministry, NREGS work will include “provision of irrigation facility, horticulture plantation and land-development facilities,” on land owned by small and marginal farmers.

This means that now these farmers can get assets built, like irrigation facilities, on their private fields with help of labour paid for by the Central government under the NREGS. All they need to do is get their “desired works” approved by the Gram Panchayat for inclusion under projects available for wage employment under NREGS.

Until now, workers were not allowed to work on private land except on plots owned by one of the following: SC/ST families, Below Poverty Line (BPL) families, beneficiaries of land reforms, and BPL beneficiaries under the Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY).

The move is in tune with the Government’s announcement — via President Pratibha Patil’s address — that it would “enlarge the scope of works permitted under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act presently limited to unskilled manual work.”

This may be a welcome step to provide a social security cover to all Indian but corruption will be biggest hurdle in this.Sarpanchs(Village head) and Panchs may use this for the benefit of their relatives and a huge scam may go unnoticed if not properly executed.

Let's Hope that it will work in a efficient way and not become a way to spend public money for private benefit.