In villages where the grant has been received, no guidelines issued on how to use it

All is not well with the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), under which, 100 days’ guaranteed employment is provided in villages.

Most of the villages in Jalandhar district are yet to get any grant under this scheme, launched nearly two years ago. The few villages that have got the grant are yet to use it. Sources say that Jalandhar district received Rs 11 crore, but not even one-third of the money has been utilised.

Villagers, meanwhile, point out that laxity on part of the Additional Programming Officers of NREGA and panchayat secretaries was responsible for the poor implementation of the scheme in the district, which has a huge number of unemployed persons.

Under NREGA, employment can be provided in various works, including plantation, cleaning of ponds, making roads and cleaning of canals. Despite a major need for such works in villages of the district, the scheme has not been implemented. In Nihaluwal village, the pond is in a bad shape; it needs both widening and cleaning. Over a year ago, 27 persons were identified in the village for work under the scheme, but sarpanch Baldev Singh said the officers did not guide them properly about availing the grant.

In Talwandi Madho village too, cards for 55 people were made under NREGA, and the village received a grant of Rs 2,200 for plantation.

However, this is not enough to provide even a day’s employment to all the 55 persons.

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