The State Government has decided to increase the wage employment from 100 days to 150 days to rural households under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS). A formal announcement will be made by Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy in a day or two.
The Chief Minister who held a review meeting with the Rural Development Minister and department officials here on Friday, expressed happiness that the State stood first in the country in the implementation of NREGS but asked the officials to strive to achieve the envisaged targets.
The scheme had a positive impact on the poor in various aspects including higher intake of food and food availability in the State. A study conducted in the State revealed that the number of meals foregone by the households reduced significantly as a result of NREGS.
According to a survey done in Medak district, the findings for the State were confirmed that around 67 per cent of the households gained under NREGS as the scheme ensured a source of income to them when no other work was available.
A study report of Institute of Human Development, Delhi, after analysing the data from the State, observed that NREGS provided income for poor households when they most needed it- during adverse weather conditions. .
The other benefits of the scheme helped in land development, horticulture, infrastructure improvement like road connectivity, mandal samakhya buildings, individual household latrines and it encouraged payments through smart cards.
The officials told Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy that the NREGS in the State was now demand driven as opposed to supply driven scheme. Block concept was introduced to take works to completion so that durable assets were created.
The scheme also helped in bringing 1.36 lakh acres under cultivation and for construction of surface water harvesting structures.
