Malda succeeds in providing 100-day job

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Feb. 4: Believe it or not, the Malda district administration has been able to provide employment for 100 days to 76 families in two years from 2006-07 out of 5,37,787 registered families under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS). This information came to light from the Press handout made by the Malda district administration after completion of its (NREGS) two years on 2 February this year.Speaking to the reporters, the additional district magistrate Mr PC Shit said that the district had been able to create total 23,16,482 ‘person-days’ in 2006-07 and 16,40,625 man-days till date of 2007-08 for 5,09,200 registered job cardholders in this district.“Though 61 families had got opportunity to work for 100 days last year and only 15 families got same opportunity till date, we had been able to provide employment for to 1,74,019 families out of 1,88,047 who demanded job in 2006-07”, Mr. Shit said. “The rate is not satisfactory and we are trying hard to increase the rate formulating some policies based on suitable plans for NREGS so that more people can participate. Not only the government officials but also the panchayats officials should come forward to execute the 100-days job scheme in the interest of the people”, Mr Shit said.“The average number of days per household was 13.31 in 2006-07 and the average is gradually increasing from 15 days this year. The average number days per household in the state is 15. It is increasing gradually and remarkably the average rate was recorded 28 in Birbhum district”, the additional district magistrate, Mr PC Shit told reporters.According to the report of the district administration, 2,75,879 women got opportunity for 100-days job in 2006-07 and 4,15,090 women have worked under NREGS till last month in this district and percentage of women who have worked has increased from 11.91 to 25.30 per cent. Out of the total number of families, 1,964 disabled ones have got opportunity for this 100-days job under NREGS in 2006-07. At present the district administration has been able to provide this job to 495 disabled families.The district administration had received Rs. 31.91 crore up to 2006-07 and it had completed 680 schemes and 690 ones were going on. This year the administration has targeted to spend the total fund of Rs. 22.02 crore and has already completed 635 schemes. According to the ADM, the district has received more Rs 43 crore for implementing the NREGS . “We had been able to spend 83.59 per cent for unskilled wages following government's guideline in last financial year and the present rate is above 73 per cent this year”, the Mr Shit said.