The Hindu Business Line : National Rural Employment Guarantee Act — Choice of districts for implementation will be non-partisan: PM

THE Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, has promised that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government would ensure a completely non-partisan choice of districts for implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA).

Addressing the Rural Development Ministers meet here on Tuesday, Dr Singh said the Government was currently focused on implementing NREGA in 200 most backward districts in the country.

At the same time, he said, the Government was committed to extending NREGA to the entire country.

"Our performance in these 200 districts will yield useful insights and lessons while extending it across the country. Therefore, the quality of implementation of the Act in its initial phase is of critical importance. We need to translate the legal commitment of the Act into an effective programme of action that delivers the benefits as guaranteed," said Dr Singh.

Social safety net: NREGA gives a legal guarantee of 100 days of employment in a year to a rural household.

The Prime Minister described NREGA as a unique social safety net as its beneficiaries are not passive recipients of doles, but will become active participants in the creation of rural assets.

Dr Singh also said the foremost requirement is to establish institutional mechanisms for implementing the guarantee.

"The Panchayati Raj institutions, with the assistance of government agencies, are central to this. The Panchayati Raj institutions will have to be geared up for it. You would need to ensure capacity building of these institutions so that they may discharge their responsibilities effectively," he said.

Transparency urged: Stating that NREGA must be a transparent people's programme, Dr Singh said the methods of estimation and measurement of works and rates of payment for each task should be made transparent.

"The labour that seeks work must understand what is offered, on what terms and demand its full entitlement. Similarly, there should be complete transparency in maintenance of muster rolls and payment of wages. There should be fairness all around," he said.

Further, the Prime Minister said the Right to Information Act would cover every aspect of the implementation of NREGA. "People will have general access to public records and information pertaining to NREGA. We must not forget that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty," Dr Singh said.

He also said the economy has to grow at 7-8 per cent if NREGA is to yield the desired results.

"We must create a climate for enterprise where both private and public sector investment can find a hospitable place.

"We must manage our budgets well so that the fiscal health of the Government is not impaired.

"We must generate the resources that we expend," Dr Singh said.

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