NATONAL RURAL EMPLOYMENT GUARANTEE SCHEME

NATIONAL RURAL EMPLOYMENT GUARANTEE SCHEME

This scheme came into force from 2005, under the NREG Act. The Act recognizes the right to work and provides a legel guarantee of atleast 100 days of employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. The act will come into force initially in 200 districts and will be extended gradually to other areas so as to cover the entire country in five years. The principal features of the act are : implementation through gram sabhas , participatory planning and social audit. Minimum wages are stipulated will be paid equally to men and women. If a worker applies for work and is not provided employment within 15 days, an unemployment allowance shall be payable.The work that may be chosen will address the cause of chronic poverty such as drought , deforestation and soil erosion.