In April this year, the Astha Sansthan and the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS) conducted a social audit involving around 600 people.

They found that in almost every village, people were aware of their entitlement to 100 days of work a year, as promised under the NREGS.

The audit revealed that despite some problems, there was a significant improvement in employment, and the local administration was giving the issue highest priority. Auditors discovered muster rolls that showed no evidence of manipulation and also found that 80 per cent of the sign-ups were women—a phenomenon that may have as much to do with Rajpal’s visible involvement with the project as with the fact that local men usually migrate in search of work.

“Though there were a few discrepancies over wages and a few other complaints, over all the social audit and the participants boosted our morale for better work,” says Rajpal, who continues to monitor the implementation of the scheme.

The district authorities are now planning an impact study of the implementation of the scheme in the district.

Though the projects were affected during the monsoon (the district received heavy rainfall this year), several new projects—such as the development of link roads in association with the Public Works Department—have been launched and the registration for work is on in full swing again.

“This scheme is like a boon for us. Never before could we find work in our district but now things have changed. If this continues, our brothers and fathers will never have to go away from home for work and even we will manage to earn some extra money,’’ says Varsha Manat, one of the workers at the Upper Ghodi talab in the district.

... contd.