Kokrajhar (Assam): The National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (NREGA) begins on Thursday in 200 of the most backward districts across the country.
But the programme could end up much like the other rural employment schemes due to cash crunch and poor communication in far-flung areas.
Hemanta Bargiary is a daily wage earner from Titaguri village in Assam's Kokrajhar district.
With his family he has worked in farms and at construction sites but never remembers a time when he was paid what he rightfully deserved.
Now with the NREGA in place, things could change for Hemanta and others like him. At least that is what the chairman of his Village Development Council would like people to believe. The council has made it clear that everyone was well informed and there is no scope for foul play.
"We know and we have told them in advance," P C Basumatary, Chairman, Titaguri Village development Council said.
But Hemanata begs to differ and said, "I know little bit about the scheme."
"For launching of the Rural Employment Scheme, we have received intimation that Rs 5 crores will be provided, but till date we have not received any cash or sanction. The scheme could also suffer in case money doesn't arrive on time," says Rohila Brahma, project director, Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Kokrajhar.
In Kokrajhar district, there has been a visible progress under schemes like Food for Work and Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojna, the projects that now stand clubbed with the NREGA.
But these developments have taken place after the exploitation of villagers by middlemen who despite assuring the right wages paid them well below the stipulated amount.
"They paid me only Rs 50," says a beneficiary of the Food for Work scheme.
While there can be no dispute regarding the welfare motive of the scheme, the pick-and-choose pattern of work, lack of awareness and exploitation of workers by middlemen have definitely been big drawbacks in delivering the benefits to the targeted population.
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