Rural Developent-An imaginary concept or a future reality

MGNREGS- An impact study of the world's largest employer using the concept of 3 F's
 

MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) was launched during UPA-I regime in 2005 in a phased manner and got implemented across the nation in 2008. It is always associated with “paradigm shift” in rural development schemes because of its following remarkable, distinct and unprecedented characteristics/features-

• bottom-up
• people-centred
• demand-driven
• self-selecting (Gram Sabha)
• rights-based approach (Right2Work;1^st amongst R2Food, R2Education,R2Info.)                                                                                                                             

1st F is the Functionaries-DRDA, PO, PRS and Mukhiya/Sarpanch. 

Let’s start with PO i.e. Program Officer. One may inquire why I started with PO Sahab, a block level personnel and not DRDA, a district level agency. It has been intentionally done as it’s so difficult to explain him, his qualifications, his works, his attitude & behavior, his salary constancy and his managerial skills. He is an MBA graduate and joined MGNREGS with vigor and energy, filled with positivity and sometimes a dream to change the rural landscape. He acts as a bridge between district DRDA and Gram Panchayat Mukhiya, PRS when it comes to map the governmental Functionaries and that between people and his staff at block and panchayat levels. When he joined, he was told that he would be a parallel authority in block with BDO Sahab (looking after law and order) and him being the nodal authority for MGNREGS. A decent salary (in 2007, considered so) in governmental setup and a BOSS of a scheme at block level and a parallel authority were enough for them to join (and continues to retain almost ALL of them).

But due to no- revision (promised and reiterated many a times) of their salaries, now they have been left behind by other authorities (who were very behind in the salary race) and have a sub-standard package (in accordance with their qualifications). Being such a bridge takes a lot in managing the illiterate, poor and yet wise rural community, which still considers government schemes as tangible benefits (non-returnable/ non-refundable support/loan).

Next being PRS, soul and body of the scheme. He may rank 2^nd here but often assumed to be topper in several aspects. Withdraw him from the scheme and see the world- a non-corrupt one as claimed by majority. He is the sarve-sarva of the scheme at panchayat level (though Mukhiya holds a significant hold in picking people to work, labour payments, Social Audit, Materials like Sand, Bricks etc. on credit from the market etc.). A lot of serious questions on his work and non-work related matters can be as follows-

      How can a PRS work at a salary of Rs.5000 away from home and that also in a case when he does not receive his salary regularly and irregularity or discontinuity of the scale of 17 months? Since, he accepted the job at this pay-scale and has signed the contract specifying all the Terms and Conditions, does that block/restrain him from becoming corrupt?

      Do you think low salaried people are prone to corruption? i.e. Can low salaries be considered as excuses for corruption at their level? This also means that high salaried people should be dry-honest and never corrupt, which has not been the case in history.

      Do you think there is a general apathy in the government setup that drives one towards corruption and inefficiency at work?

      Can less tedious monitoring of works done by the higher level officers and more tedious and tough checking/monitoring of those done by the field level staff like PRS/Awaas Sahayaks/HM/ASHA/ANM/AWW etc. be considered apt? If yes, why and if no, why not?

The genesis of this thinking that lower level or ground level staff are more corrupt than the higher level employees(Babus) is what was the basic reason for “BUDHWAARI JAANCH”(Wednesday Inspection) under which all the NREGA works done in a Panchayat on field and paper works in recent years were inspected. At the time of its introduction/inception, it was considered to be Anna Hazare's Lokpal type revolutionary exercise, which would put a full stop to the rampant corruption occurring in the scheme. As time passed by, the contrary was observed and it was soon realised that it has become an ultimate tool of rampant corruption in the name of Recovery and sometimes even PRS were forced to resign if not pay bribes. I am afraid that in a situation like this the world’s most ambitious and largest employment generating and guaranteeing scheme (as per the law in letter if not in spirit) may turn out to be advantageous for those who need it lesser than for those who are in dire need of the same. An irony and failure on the part of governance of the country is that the poverty-alleviation cum socialist/welfare state oriented schemes have benefitted the middle class and rich more than the needy and targeted poor (Mathew effect). This has been the past of schemes/reforms in the nation and the future is calling for the same even in NREGA.

 
Coming on to the IInd “F” viz. “Functions” after the above “F” viz. “Functionaries”.

Under this we would discuss the positive and negatives (if any) of the functions undertook by the scheme i.e. Impact Study of the scheme via its works on the ground.

a.       Roads- An ultimate positive achievement of the scheme has been ROADS. Five years back, we had only PMGSY (thanks to AB Vajpayee, the most recent Bharat Ratna recipient) for rural India apart from NH and SH. Today, if you reach the Indian villages via roads, you would be taken aback when you observe roads (not the BLACK ones, but WHITE- signifying strength and durabilility). PMGSY provided external road connectivity to the villages from the main roads (NH/SH) unlike the internal connectivity provided by MGNREGA.

Types of rural roads-from yesterday 2 tomorrow
 
PAST- Kachhi Sadak and Brick Soiling
PRESENT- PCC and above 2
FUTURE- PCC only.

This is what MGNREGA has done, a remarkable present and a probable and promising future of connectivity in the heart of the country.

 b.       Sanitation and Hygiene-
          Drains
          Toilets
          Soakpits

 
There was a time when one could not think about seeing a single drain in the villages (despite the fact that urban sanitation itself is poor and stinking even today). But MGNREGA brought a remarkable item in its basket of works and then rural sanitation got a kick-start and naalas were constructed. Today the mindset of people has changed to such a level that when asked about the needs of the ward (village), PCC roads and/or drains are the top most priority areas they want the government and the scheme to work on. This is evident from IPPE (Planning exercise in the scheme) where almost every ward of the state unanimously declared their most important work as PCC/Drains, leaving behind the individual works like Goatery/Poultry shed etc. and even the heart of the agrarian society i.e. irrigation-renovation of the traditional water bodies like chaur/payne etc.

The last “F” i.e. Funds, the most crucial aspect of life-public (schemes) or private (pockets), has been dealt in the end since the proper utilisation of this “F” is possible only when the former F’s succeed in their respective roles and responsibilities.

Fund flow in a CSS is generally smooth from centre to states but this scheme has been an exception. Being the brainchild of UPA, various sources have repeatedly quoted Modi-led NDA government’s intentions to scrap the scheme or restrict it to tribal and backward blocks only. But all these news have been mere news and rumours. But one think is true that post-NDA government, the beneficiaries or functionaries at district/block/panchayat level haven’t received a single penny for last 10 months, endangering the livelihoods of many and encouraging migration of many.

The policy-makers must be appreciated for a transformational and splendid job in mode of payment of the beneficiaries. Starting from Post-Offices to Bank A/c to electronic Fund Management System (e-FMS), the scheme and its beneficiaries especially have witnessed and faced a lot to receive the wages they deserve for the work they do. Ranging from weekly to monthly to semi-annually wage payment, the beneficiaries (unskilled labour force) can’t be expected to stop migrating to Punjab, Haryana and Delhi for better and timely paid works. What makes it worse is the corrupt practices of the dominant Functionaries especially at Panchayat level (Mukhiya/Sarpanch/PRS etc.).

But even after all above negatives of the scheme in monetary matters, one can’t deny the fact that the bargaining power of these labourers-cum-MGNREGS beneficiaries have increased significantly. The labour who was earlier forced to work for Rs.80-100 now easily asks for Rs.180-200, a jump of more than 100% is the direct outcome of the scheme. Checking Absolute Migration has been difficult due to above stated reasons but relatively lowered. Earlier, they migrated in non-farming months only and used to grow crops in kharif/rabi seasons back at home. But now apart from these months, they also work here in MGNREGS season (post-rainy season).

Thus, the 3^rd “F” i.e Funds and heneceforth the scheme has witnessed the dawn, dusk and dawn (of next day). As a fellow working at the grassroots level and numerous others sincerely expect that the scheme no longer faces dusk. The intensity of day-light gets increased with time via creation of sustainable assets for rural development.

The conclusion of the article is left for its readers to frame and put in comments section below. Through this article, I have attempted to explain this scheme’s ground realities and issues via 3 F’s not in an academic (for publishing in Yojana etc.) but in a common day-to-day lingua. I would be privileged to know the experiences of yours regarding rural development in general and this scheme in specific. Sorry for making it a bit technical but have tried my level best to make it understandable for all, in case if still clarifications are needed, please comment. The essence of the blog is expected to be comprehended and reach to ALL.  

Rural Development is more than just providing schemes, but equipping the rural population with what they need (as per their own requirements). It’s a process of societal development and transformation.

"मनरेगा नहीं मरेगा " The past, present and future lies in India's villages, so आगे बढ़ो और गाँव के समृद्ध भविष्य का हिस्सा बनो।  वो दिन दूर नहीं जब गाँव हमसे यह सवाल पूछेगा कि क्या हमने अपने फर्ज़ का निर्वाह किया। सोचो और आगे बढ़ो।