MGNREGA to now focus on securing livelihood for poorest of the poor

NEW DELHI: After turning the focus of rural job scheme MGNREGA to the country’s 2,500 most backward blocks, the NDA government now plans to move to the next phase and provide secure livelihood to the poorest in these areas.

The rural development ministry last week sent a note to all states directing them to shift the focus of the scheme on securing the livelihood of the poorest of the poor in the selected blocks in convergence with National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM).

“After an evaluation of the outcomes of the scheme, it has been decided to continue the exercise in the same blocks for the labour budget 2016-17 duly shifting focus on the livelihood to be executed in close convergence with the NRLM,” the note said.

“The idea is to equip MGNREGA workers in these blocks with skills that will pull them out of the unskilled wage employment and give them sustained livelihood,” an official said.

The identified works will be funded from MGNREGA if they are permissible works under the Act.

If any work or component of the work cannot be funded from MGNREGA, it will be tied up from the funds of the Self Help Groups, department funds, the 14th finance commission funds or sources decided by the block.

The NDA government last year focused the imple-mentation of MGNREGA on 2,500 most backward blocks.

The move came amid decreasing demand for work under the scheme with the average number of days worked by a beneficiary coming down to 45 in 2013-14 from 54 in 2009-10.