Amendments to NREGA: Key Changes to Schedule I

The Ministry of Rural Development has issued notifications amending Schedule I of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), 2005. These amendments focus on ensuring fair wages and suitable working conditions for laborers engaged in projects under the scheme. This article will outline the key changes introduced by these amendments, and their implications for rural employment.

Background of NREGA

The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), now known as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), is a landmark legislation that guarantees at least one hundred days of wage employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. It aims to enhance livelihood security and create durable assets in rural areas.

Key Amendments to Schedule I

The following are the key amendments made to Schedule I of the NREGA Act:

1. Wage Rates:

   • The schedule of rates of wages for unskilled laborers is to be fixed so that an adult person working for nine hours would normally earn a wage equal to the wage rate.

   • The working days of an adult worker, including rest intervals, should not exceed twelve hours on any day.

2. Gender Neutrality:

   • The average out-turn of work by men and women workers working in a group will be the basis for fixing task-based schedules of rates, ensuring no gender-based discrimination in wage rates.

3. Prioritization of Works:

   • The focus of the scheme is on specific types of work, with priority given to:

     • Water conservation and harvesting

     • Drought proofing (afforestation and tree plantation)

     • Micro and minor irrigation works

     • Irrigation facilities for land owned by Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Below Poverty Line (BPL) households, beneficiaries of land reforms, beneficiaries of Indira Awas Yojana, small or marginal farmers, and tribal communities.

     • Renovation of traditional water bodies.

     • Land development.

     • Flood control and protection works.

     • Rural connectivity.

     • Any other work notified by the Central Government.

4. Focus on Asset Creation: The creation of durable assets and strengthening the livelihood resource base of the rural poor is an important objective of the scheme.

5. Rural Focus: All works under the scheme must be in rural areas.

6. Local Planning: The State Council is required to prepare a list of preferred works based on their ability to create durable assets.

7. Transparency: The scheme mandates transparency in implementation and accountability at all levels.

8. No Contractors: The scheme does not permit engaging contractors for project implementation.

9. Manual Labor: As far as practicable, tasks should be performed using manual labor and not machines.

10. Equitable Space for Work: The scheme strives to ensure that all workers have access to a work space that is not gender biased.

Impact of Amendments

These amendments aim to:

• Ensure fair wages for all laborers, irrespective of gender.

• Prioritize works that contribute to long-term rural development and livelihoods.

• Promote transparency and accountability in the implementation of the scheme.

• Encourage the use of manual labor over machines.

Conclusion

The amendments to Schedule I of the NREGA Act reflect the government’s ongoing efforts to improve the implementation and effectiveness of the scheme. By addressing issues related to wage rates, working conditions, and prioritization of works, these revisions aim to ensure that the scheme continues to provide meaningful employment and contribute to the sustainable development of rural India.