The State government has ordered the increase in daily wages for beneficiaries under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme to Rs.132 from Rs.119. Nearly 26.49 lakh persons will be benefited by the government’s gesture.
This is part of the efforts made by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, through various schemes, to improve the economy of rural households, considering the fact that villages are the lifeline of the State, stated an official release.
The scheme provides employment to the beneficiaries for not less than 100 days in a year. Under the scheme, factors which trigger poverty such as drought, deforestation and soil erosion can be prevented and natural resources protected using the rural labour. Protecting water resources, raising forests and tree planting are also undertaken, the release said.
According to the policy note 2012-13 of the State’s Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, adults in rural areas willing to do unskilled manual work may register themselves with the village panchayat under the scheme. The wage notified by the Centre per person was Rs.119 till 2011-12. The Centre had recently increased the wage to Rs.132.
Keywords: Jayalalithaa, MNREGA, daily wage
