NREGA brings smiles in faces of rural India People’s struggle makes NREGA deliver... NREGA brings smiles in faces of rural India People’s struggle makes NREGA deliver… NREGA brings smiles in faces of rural India People’s struggle makes NREGA deliver… Published by 139, Richmond Road Bangalore–560 025. Karnataka. India Ph: +91-080-25580346, 25321747 e-mail:
[email protected] www.booksforchange.net Production Team: Shoba Ramachandran, M V Rajeevan, Gokul and Shailaja Contents Preface iv Acknowledgements v 1. Kasamma – a slow yet steady move towards a dignifiedand fulfilled life 1 2. People’s plan has its way under NREGS 4 3. Mate training increases the work output in Sirohi 7 4. Reduced measurement size attractive to women 12 5. First unemployment allowance in Orissa 15 6. Gandhi Giri leading to payment of pending wages 18 7. NREGS – boon for the differently abled people 21 8. People’s audit fosters good governance 23 9. Unionisation improves performance of NREGS 26 10. Anantpur social audit towards transparency and accountability 29 Preface The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) 2005, coming into effect after a long and sustained people’s struggle, can be termed as a People’s Act. This landmark Act qualifies to be a potential tool of empowerment for rural labour. It guarantees employment for 100 days in a year to adult members of rural households who are willing to do unskilled manual labour at a guaranteed minimum wage. It will go down in the history of social security legislations as one which alleviates extreme poverty while protecting economic insecurity and ensuring the right to food.