During a recent meeting in New Delhi, the Union Minister for Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, gathered important voices to discuss problems facing the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) in India. The meeting included suggestions from civil society groups, workers, and officials from different states.
One big issue raised was the deletion of job cards. The participants explained that when job cards get deleted, it should follow proper procedures. Many deletions happen without enough checks, which shakes people’s trust in the system. After a new system called ABPS was made necessary, the number of deleted job cards increased dramatically.
In 2022-23 and 2023-24, around 2.25 crore and 1.02 crore job cards were removed, respectively. Delayed payments to workers were also a major concern. The participants mentioned that these delays and low wages discourage people from working, leading them to quit or even leave their homes in search of better jobs.
Chouhan emphasized the need for better coordination in implementing NREGA to prevent fraud and ensure fairness. He believed that if the system works correctly, the government can provide jobs more easily.
Another topic of discussion was the situation in West Bengal. The central government has stopped sending NREGA funds to the state since December 27, 2021, citing concerns over possible misuse of money. It was suggested to form a committee with members from both ruling and opposition parties, along with civil society members, to look into these concerns.
Leave a Reply