Poverty Reduction & NREGS, District – North Bastar Kanker (Chhattisgarh)

Context- where we are !

Source: Chhattisgarh Human Development Report, 2005

Category Value Rank in state

Human Development Index .397 12th

Education Index Value .758 7th Health Index Value .280 12th Income index Value .152 13th

NREGS Significance

Because of agriculture & forest produces based livelihood and in absence of major industries, NREGS has a great significance for the local community.

In year 2008-09, Kanker district provided an avg. Rs 4192/- per household worked under NREGS (6th in the state)

NREGS contribution in household income

Chhattisgarh (08-09)

Effectively implemented, NREGA has the potential to transform the geographyof poverty (source:- NREGS operational guideline 2008 )

Dantewada 8

Bastar 15

Kanker 6

Dhamtari 9

Mahasamund 13

Raipur 10

Durg 16

Rajnandgaon 4

Kawardha 1

Bilaspur 2

Janjgir-Champa 11

Korba 14

Raigarh 12

Jashpur 5

Surguja 7

Koriya 3

Present study Covers

Findings based on information from district NREGS cell & field visit

The issues covered are :

1- Management aspects - Implementation process, Staffing, Fund Flow

2- The coverage aspects – General Coverage Fund Utilisation Priority of the works Inclusion of the disadvantaged group

Management Aspects

Background – NREGS, Kanker

NREGS started in the district in year 2005-06

Perspective Plan Prepared

Annual plan prepared each year

In 4th year of it’s progress

Human Resource:

Staff gap not a major hindrance for the implementation, but can increase efficiency.

DPC (Collector)

Ad. DPC ( CEO, ZP)

Project Officer in-Charge (Addi. CEO, ZP)

Asst. Project Officer

IEC Asst. (1), Asst. Grade II- (3), Comp. Ope. (2)

Sarpanch, Secretary & Rojgar Sahayak

District

Janpad

GramPan.

Monitoring Officer (CEO)

Program officer Tech. Asst-4

Accountant -1, Computer Operator -2Peon -1

Asst. Grade (II )- 1

Program Officer – 1, Tech. Asst. - 13

Gram Rojgar Sahayak - 9

Staff gap.Proposed

Implementation Process

Each Janpad/ department has a shelf of approved works, which can be taken as per the need/ requirement

Janpad Office

Proposals from the Gram Panchayat

Zila Panchayat, CEO ZP

Prep. Technical Estimates

Administrative Sanction By DPC

Janpad levelIssue work order

Line Dept.Issue work order

Line Dept.

CE, RES

SE, RES

Ex. En, RES

AE , RES

Present Payment Structure

Muster-roll/ Issue (Start

of work)

Muster-roll/ Bill submission

(weekly)

Running Measureme

nt

Order from Janapad/ Dept. to

Bank/ Post Office

Receiving of payment by labour (from a/c in Bank/ Post Office)

Monitoring

Level Mainly by % of works (to be mon.)

State Commissioner/ 2%Asst. Commissioner/ Dy. Commissioner/ Joint Director/Training Expert

Divisional Divisional Commissioner 5%District DPC,

AD DPC, Line Department

10%

PO, APO, PRO

Janpad CEO, Program Officer, AE (RES), Tech. Asst.,

100%

Panchayat Sarpanch, 100%Surveillance Committee

Coverage Aspects

Coverage

No gap in Job demanded & provided (last 2 years)

% of household having job cards got job in 08-09 = 63

% household completing 100 days (out of household provided job) = 11

Need to increase the % of households completing minimum 100 days

Coverage Cont.

The Job cards are issued in the proportion of category population

(as per census 2001).

Census 2001 Population

SC - Proportion 56 %

ST - Proportion 4%

Coverage Cont.

Person days generated in 2008-09, are 46% point lower than, in year 2007-08. Other category (incl. OBC) is showing a sharp decrease over last 3 years Projected person days for next year = 77.73 lakhs

Social Inclusion

Year 06-07 07-08 08-09

Disabled beneficiaries (person days/ nos) 178 754 249 (nos.)

Gender participation in person days is in favor of the female, decreasing trend (need further disaggregated review)

Opportunity for involving more disabled beneficiaries

NREGS goal: Strong social safety net for the vulnerable groups

Fund Utilization

An opportunity loss of utilizing of 93.19 crores (in last three years) Utilisation rate last year was among lowest in the state

Fund Utilization – Janapd Panchayat

Kanker, Narharpur & Durgkondal recorded higher exp. (in absolute num.) Durg Kondal and Antagarh experienced the lowest utilization rate.

Fund Utilization – Line Department

Forest, Water Res., Agri., Hort. recorded higher expenditure. (in absolute num.) Works not taken under agriculture and horticulture in year 2008-09 Forest dept reflect a lower utilisation rate

(NGO's/ Samiti/ SHG

etc)

No. of works completed 2006-09

Higher nos. of work were taken under land development activity. Study on the impacts of the works is of significance

Expenditure 2006 - 09

Major investment in 2006-09 Rural Connectivity > Drought Proofing > Land Dev. Proposed investment in 2009-10 Rural Connectivity > Water cons.> Land Dev.

Transparency

Social audit being conducted in presence of deputed functionaries from line dept.

No persons received unemployment allowance

Approx > 2,00,000 persons with account (bank (64%)/ post office(36%)) – workers getting money in their a/c. (imply fair payment)

Recent enhancement of administrative cost from 4 % to 6 %, has provided scope to further strengthen transparency & accountability

Utilisation issues

Food req. for HH available at lower

rate is good, it also influences demand Higher wages

option from forest produce (tendu

patta etc)

Nexal disturbance (in blocks)- it affects quality too

Lower Utilisation in NREGS

(Work demand)

Lower demand from the Gram

Panchayat

Drought relief works (get’s

more priority)

Payment through bank (no scope of

margin)

Need of intensive IEC for demand

Challenges in utilisation are of complex in nature & need wider consultation.

Priority of efficient utilisation is equally relevant along with increasing utilisation

Low interest/ exp. from line depart

24

Review of findings

Greater thrust require in employment related programmes

Implementation mechanism in place (shelf of approved works available on demand)

Need of study on the impacts of the work taken

Challenges of generating demand (strong IEC measures)

Challenge of ensuring quality (in Naxel affected blocks)

Need of stakeholders consultation for increasing utilisation

Thank You