Manmohan Singh reviews Rural Employment

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh reviewed the progress of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (NREGP) at a special review meeting here today.

New Delhi, June 21: Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh reviewed the progress of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (NREGP) at a special review meeting here today.

Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh apprised the Prime Minister of the successful implementation of the programme in 330 districts of the country.

Taking note of the successful implementation of the programme, Manmohan Singh called for an independent professional evaluation the impact of the programme on employment generation, rural wages, gender disparity, agricultural productivity and rural infrastructure development.

He urged the State Governments that were lagging behind in the implementation of the programme to learn from the experience of other States.

Manmohan Singh also called for the preparation of district-wise, district employment report, to be presented on Labour Day, on May 1 next year.

So far over 2.1 crore people had been provided employment under the national rural employment programme including, 1.2 crore Schedule Caste, Schedule Tribes and 0.8 crore women.

Under NREGP, employment generation has been linked to rural asset creation and infrastructure development.

Majority of the work undertaken are related to water conservation, water harvesting, flood control, irrigation and renovation of traditional water bodies, and construction of rural roads.

The programme has succeeded in bringing down instances of distress migration, improvement in land productivity and increased awareness among rural poor regarding minimum wages.

There has also been an increase in wage earnings as well as improvement in participation of women in the rural work force.

It was also noted that wage earners have been able to open savings bank accounts, take up insurance and improve literacy.

ANI