NREGA disbursal for unskilled workers up 78%

NEW DELHI: The drought and failed rains in July 2009 has increased the disbursement of wages to unskilled workers by around 78% to Rs 1,600 crore in July, 2009 as compared to Rs 900 crore in the corresponding period previous year, under National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), the flagship scheme of the UPA government.

The scheme has received an allocation of Rs 60,350 crore since it became operational in 2006 and around 70% of this has gone in to disbursement of wages to the beneficiaries under the scheme. The rest has gone into the procurement of raw materials and infrastructure development.

Since the inception of the NREGA programme in 2006, a total of 7.18 crore accounts have been opened under the scheme and the department of post handles around 3.34 crore accounts, which is around three-fifths of the total accounts opened.

The ministry of rural development is the nodal agency that monitors NREGS. Under this scheme, the postal department gets the money from states in the form of cheque or rolling funds. A list of beneficiaries under the NREGS is prepared and is sent to the postal department along with the money, which is required to be transferred to their accounts within three days. The state governments, on their behalf, try to ensure that the funds reach post offices within 12 days of claims being made.