CONTRIBUTION OF NAREGA IN BIKANER
BRIG (RETD) D S DHILLON
Introduction
1. Bikaner district has a combination of Indira Gandhi canal net work with the age old dunes. The subsoil water in some areas is not potable. The deep bore tube wells have enabled cultivation of wheat in some areas . The road network is good. Yet, most villages are linked by gravel tracks.
2. NAREGA programs are oriented towards the following:-
(a) Water storage for drinking and agriculture
(b) Digging of Taals ( Ponds) to store water in the rainy season
( c) Constructing village tracks of local gravel.
3. Total number of households that have registered themselves to be covered under NAREGA is 254750. The fund allocation for the year 2008-09 was Rs 36439.55 Lakhs. Considering that all households were covered till March 2009 , each household at an average was able to earn approximately Rs 14000/- from the scheme.
Organisation and the system of Implementation
4. The Deputy Commissioner of Bikaner is the Chief executive Officer of the scheme in the District. The fund allocation from the central government is based on the budget estimate and the list of works recommended. The Bikaner district was covered under NAREGA from April 2008. Earlier it was covered under the SGRY scheme which was based on resources allotted by the Center.
5. At the district level the Deputy Commissioner implements the scheme through the DRDA ( District Rural Development Authority). The Deputy Commissioner is referred to as the District Program Coordinator.
6. Bikaner has four blocks i.e. Bikaner, Dhungarhgarh, Kolayat, Lunkransar and Nokha. Each Block has a Program Officer who is hired on a contractual basis on a monthly salary of about Rs 10,000/-. At the village level the NAREGA program has Rozgar Sahayak also on contract with a salary of Rs 2500/-. In addition approximately two/ three data operators are employed at the Block level for data entry.
7. Broad Band connectivity is available at the Block level for storage and sharing of information that can be accessed on the internet. You can get details of financial allocation, utilization; the works being progressed and those that have been completed; list of households registered under NAREGA. The data base is well structured.
Implementation
8. The funds are available to various gram Panchayats. They can either implement the works by themselves, assign them to PWD, irrigation department, health, forest or other governmental agencies. As contractual work is not permitted, other agencies are not keen to take up projects/works under NAREGA. Most works are executed by the Panchayats under suitable assistance from the engineering staff hired under NAREGA at the Block/ district level. Payment to workers is based on measurement of the work done. These measurements are mostly based on a group of five men/ women working as a group.
9. Job card holders who desire to work give an application to the Sarpanch who has the works duly approved by the Program officer at the Block. Most works start on monthly basis. Those who apply for work must be given work within 15 days. Otherwise they have to be given unemployment allowance which is approximately 50 % of the daily wages which is Rs 100/-.
Water and Irrigation related
10. Water storage tanks for drinking water, agriculture are constructed. Raito of material cost and labour is to remain within 40 for construction and 60 % for labour.
Open and undergroud water tanks in the fields. Desilting of open water tank is in progress
11. Indira Gandhi canal water is being taken to the fields. Where the water has reached the crop yield is excellent. Shifting sand dunes create a problem. Therefore, NAREGA labour has been dovetailed with irrigation/border area development schemes to mash labour with material cost. Thereby, enabling labour cost to be the main component of NAREGA financial commitment.
A covered water channel feeding water from the canal
Track Connectivity- and PMGSY (Prime Minister Gramin Sarak Yojna)
12. Numerous tracks are being constructed under NAREGA, Some of these tracks will later enable the Prime Minister’s Road Construction projects to be implemented and provide tarmac roads.
Problem areas for NAREGA in Bikaner
13. The problem areas will be covered in follow up article