Govt mulls basic facilities for NREGA work centres
Concerned over lack of facilities like creche and drinking water at the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) worksites, the Centre has asked the states to explore setting up such provisions in the villages.
Taking note of the recommendations of the working group on planning and execution of the rural job plan, the rural development ministry has asked the states to explore the possibility of having crèches in the villages through convergence with the Integrated child development scheme of the women and child development ministry.
Further, to reduce drudgery of women, who have to fetch water from long distances, the rural development ministry has asked the states to provide drinking water facility at worksites from six per cent permissible administrative expenses under the MGNREGA funds. The working group had suggested use of trolleys to fetch water to save women workers from this drudgery.
The ministry has also asked the states to utilise the process of convergence of various welfare schemes in order to encourage participation of more persons with disabilities and aged persons in MGNREGA works.
However, the ministry has ruled out the working group’s suggestion of providing lunch to the workers stating no such provision existed in the Act. The ministry has advised the states to attempt it either through convergence of other schemes or by asking the workers to take part deduction of their wages for the facility. The working group had earlier raised the issue of motivating the workers to work on far away lands and suggested improved workplace facilities including lunch for people coming to work on land development activities.
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