Our View on Rural Employment Guarantee Act

Two years have elapsed since National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 came into force in the country. With its budgetary capacity at the initial period, it has targeted the poorest of the district in the country for implement its rural guarantee schemes. Out of the 200 districts in the country selected for the first year of its implementation, seven districts have been selected from the state of Assam. These are Dhemaji, Goal Para, Lakhimpur, Karbi Anglong, North Cachar, Bongaigaon and Kokrajhar district. Presently another six district is being covered in the state. Very soon the union government will decide to extend in all the district of the country.

The main features of the Act is that the Program Officer i.e. the BDO in Assam state has to ensures 100 days of work in a year whoever applies for job, within 15 days of application after its registration. If not given job with thin 15 days of application the state has to provide unemployment allowance. This is a guarantee period under the Act. Procedurally to entitle 100 days of work a person name should be registered, issued job card by the block authorities and seek work through application at the Panchayat office or at the BDO office. Any person whoever volunteer to work could apply for the Job card.

I think these are the things where people do not understand and finds even issueless while not doing their duties. We should realize some of the militancy problem here is due to such poor governance where people are not getting their own entitle welfare schemes. When the people could do whatever they feel like doing like looting away public money, then the other side of the people who observes them finds no hope in the development. These itself is the beginning of the lawless society. These are the issues where it allows the common man mind set into tense and stress, where no body thinks of common good of the people. Consequently these could lead the society worst of the worst. As many feel whether government exist or not it doesn’t matter, even without the government the people could survive. Its never too late it is important to take steps by the government to reach the welfare measures right to the people. This is the only way to make them feel good factor among the people. Unless the government make people feels the importance of the government services, the situation of these region will not change. Only development and the showed of opportunities for the people can change the people mindset into progressive and agreeable at the right direction.

The Employment Law if implemented properly could bring rapid change in the village. Lot of money through wages and infrastructural facilities could be invested under the law. So it is the responsibility of the government to ensure the development through well intention perspective plan.