Date:30/05/2007 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/05/30/stories/2007053004891100.htm

Back NREG scheme: Not enough work

Our Bureau

New Delhi, May 29

Only four per cent of the respondents to a survey got work for more 30 days in a year under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh (UP) against a minimum of 100 days in a year mandated under the scheme. The same figure for three other districts in UP namely - Sitapur, Unnao, and Barabanki - stood at 16 per cent, 13 per cent and 13 per cent respectively. The survey was conducted by the Delhi-based Lal Bahadur Shastri Management College in February. Out of the 400 people surveyed (100 in each of the four districts), 48 per cent worked between 21 and 30 days, 25 per cent between 11 and 20 days and 16.50 per cent worked between 1 and 10 days. Interestingly, all the respondents in each of the districts said that they received wages of Rs 58 as per the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, which is applicable in UP.