1

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment

Guarantee Act and its Role in Natural Resource

Regeneration

Ministry of Rural Development

Government of India

Presentation Overview

� Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment

Guarantee Act (NREGA) Overview

� NREGA & Natural Resource Regeneration

� Convergence Initiatives taken by the Ministry

2

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee

Act & Objectives

1. Providing wage employment

opportunities

2. Creating sustainable rural

livelihoods through rejuvenation

of natural resource base i.e.

augmenting productivity and

supporting creation of durable

assets

3. Strengthening rural governance

through decentralisation and

processes of transparency and

accountability

An Act to provide for the enhancement of

livelihood security of the households in rural

areas of the country by providing at least one hundred days of

Guaranteed wage employment in every

financial year to every household

Mahatma Gandhi NREGAMahatma Gandhi NREGA

(FY 2006-07) 200 Districts

(FY 2007-08) 330 Districts

(FY 2008-09) 615 Districts

(FY 2009-10) 619 Districts (Provisional)

Employment provided to households: 21.0 Million 33.9 Million 45.1 Million 52.5 Million

Total: 905 1435.9 2163.2 2825.8SCs: 229.5 [25%] 393.6 [27%] 633.6 [29%] 863.1 [31%]STs: 329.8 [36%] 420.7 [29%] 550.2 [25%] 585.7 [21%]Women: 367.9 [41%] 611.5 [43%] 1035.7 [48%] 1374.0 [49%]Others: 345.6 [38%] 621.6 [43%] 979.5 [45%] 1376.9 [49%]

Average personday per household 43 Days 42 Days 48 Days 54 Days

Budget Outlay (In Rs Billion): 113 120 300 391Central Release (In Rs Billion): 86.41 126.10 299.40 335.07Total available fund [including OB]: In Rs. Billion. 120.74 193.06 373.97 495.30Expenditure (In Rs. Billion) 88.23 158.57 272.50 379.38Average wage per day Rs. 65 Rs. 75 Rs. 84 Rs. 91

Total works taken up (In Million): 0.84 1.79 2.78 4.60Works completed: 0.39 0.82 1.21 2.09

Water conservation: [54%] [49 %] [46%] [51%]Provision of Irrigation facility to land owned by SC/ST/ BPL/ S & MF and IAY benificiaries:

[10%] [15 %] [20%] [17%]

Rural Connectivity: [21%] [17 %] [18%] [17%]Land Development: [11%] [16%] [15%] [14%]Any other activity: [4%] [3%] [1%] [2%]

PERSONDAYS [in Million]

FINANCIAL DETAIL

WORKS DETAIL

3

MGNREGA: Positive Trends

� Increase in Agriculture Minimum Wages and wage earned per day and

annual income. Bargaining power of labour has increased

� Earnings per HH has increased from Rs 2795 in 2006-07 to Rs 3150 in

2007-08 to Rs 4060 in 2008-09 and about Rs 5000 in 2009-10

� Financial Inclusion: 9.19 crore accounts opened

� Distress migration has reduced in many parts

� “Green Jobs” created as 70% works relate to water conservation, water-

harvesting, restoration, renovation and desilting of water bodies,

drought-proofing, plantation & afforestation

� Productivity effects of NREGA reported

- Improvement in ground water

- Improved agricultural productivity & cropping intensity

- Livelihood diversification in rural areas.

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MGNREGA & Natural Resource Regeneration

4

Nature of MGNREGA works are such that they

augment productivity

Community Lands� Water conservation

� Water harvesting

� Irrigation

� Drought proofing

� Plantation &

Afforestation

� Renovation of water bodies

� Desilting of tanks & canals

� Flood control measures

� Rural connectivity

Private LandsPrivate Landsof SC/ST/IAY/Land Reform

beneficiaries/BPL/small and marginal farmers

Small & marginal farmers account for 80% of land- holdings & operate 40% of cultivated land

� Land Development

� Irrigation facilities

� Horticulture Plantation

Impact on Eco RestorationImpact on Eco Restoration

Sustainable Rural LivelihoodsSustainable Rural Livelihoods

Water Tables beginning to get recharged

Improvement in land productivity

Plantation/ afforestation

2%

8%

6%

9%

17%

14%

4%

17%

24%

Flood Control and Protection

Water Conservation and WaterHarvesting

Provision of Irrigation facility toLand Owned by SC/ST/BPL/ IAYBeneficiariesRural Connectivity

Land Development

Others

Drought Proofing (Afforestation& Plantation)

Micro Irrigation Works

Renovation of Traditional Water bodies(incl. desilting of tanks, ponds)

5

Increasing Share of works on private lands

[provision of irrigation facilities to land owned by

SC/SC/IAY/BPL/Small and Marginal Farmer beneficiaries]

0

5

10

15

20

25

2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10

Leveraging NREGA for Sustainable Development through

Inter-sectoral Convergence

� From mere wage employment to sustainable rural livelihoods

� From unskilled to skilled labour through knowledge & technology input, training & capacity building in productivity increases, water-use efficiency, backward–forward linkages

� Significant productivity increases could be stimulated by NREGA on holdings of small and marginal farmers in rainfed areas

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11

Joint Guidelines on convergence of MG NREGS with

specific programmes & schemes

� Ministry of Agriculture -- Indian Council of Agricultural Research

� Ministry of Environment and Forest

� Ministry of Water Resources

� Department of Land Resources

� Pradhan mantri Gram Sadak Yojana – Rural Roads

� SGSY (Department of Rural Development)

� Joint monitoring and review of the convergence

� Convergence Guidelines with Agriculture Schemes under issue

� Shared data base through MIS

� Shared use of GIS, use of satellite imaging planned.

� Pilots Projects on convergence in selected districts taken up like action research identifying further possibilities and up-scaling.

Funding will be through MGNREGA and concerned programmes

12

Convergence with Programmes of Ministry of Forest and

Environment and NREGS for Eco restoration

� Root stock regeneration, new plantation and

Silvipasture

� Fencing

� Land Development to rehabilitate degraded forest

� Forest fair weather Roads

� Water Conservation

� National Afforestation Programme

Implementation agencies: Joint Forest Management

Committees

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13

Convergence of Programmes of Ministry of Water

Resources

with NREGS

For Effective Water conservation and efficient Water use � Artificial Recharge of Ground Water through Dug well

� Repair, Renovation and Restoration of water bodies directly linked to Agriculture/ Aquaculture

� Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme

� Flood Management Programme

� Farmer’s Participation Action Research Programme

� Command Area Development & Water Management Programme

� Value Addition: The work of Canal plantation and Canal fair weather road may be carried out under NREGA as value addition.

13

Triggering Green Revolution in Rainfed Areas� Green Revolution bypassed the rainfed areas. Agriculture Development Programmes

and MGNREGS converged have potential to become a life-support system in the

rainfed areas

� Most MGNREGA works contribute directly or indirectly to agricultural development

� NREGA works catalyse agricultural development through:

� Additional land under irrigation/cultivation

� Improved soil fertility and moisture conservation

� Convergence with NHM, RKVY, NFSM, Fisheries etc

� Growth in consumption of agricultural inputs through increased household earnings

� So huge potential exists for NREGA convergence with agriculture and allied

programmes such as;

� National Horticulture Mission

� Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana

� National Food Security Mission 14

8

MGNREG Convergence with RKVY

• Developing of rain fed farming systems in and outside watershed

areas, as also integrated development of watershed areas, wastelands,

river valleys

•Activities relating to enhancement of horticulture production and

popularization of micro irrigation systems;

•Promote Organic farming through extensive composting and recycling

of solid waste

• Seed production, packing and processing in common and community

lands

• Common post harvest facilities for threshing, storage and labour

intensive processing

15

MGNREGS with National Food Security Mission

National Food Security Mission (NFSM)

The objective of the Mission

• Increase production of rice, wheat and pulses through area expansion

and productivity enhancement in a sustainable manner in the

identified districts

• Restoring soil fertility and productivity at the individual farm level

• Creation of employment opportunities; and enhancing farm level

economy ( i.e. farm profits) to restore confidence amongst the

farmers.

Value addition to NREGS work through NFSM

Individual land holding cultivators benefiting under NREGS should be

included under NFSM on priority, for value addition through sharing

of information: Critical role of ATMA 16

9

Convergence with Watershed Programmes

Guidelines Issued

Project of a village to be prepared on Watershed approach

� Delineation of Watershed as per Common guidelines for Watershed

� Under NREGA, the size can be an area of the village matching micro watershed i.e. nearly 250 to 500 hectares.

� Gap Filling through NREGA

a) Areas treated under Watershed Development programme but not saturated because of insufficient cost norms.

b) Difficult areas, being treated under the watershed Development programme, where the revised cost norms is also not sufficient to saturate the area.

c) New areas; neither yet treated nor planned under watershed programmeand where works are to be planned on watershed approach under NREGA.

17

Quantification of Environmental Services

� Identification & quantification of environmental services generated through MGNREGS works, towards climate change mitigation and adaptation

� Assess opportunities for conversion into revenue stream for NREGS workers

� Collaborations

I. Indian Institute of Science (IISC Bangalore) and German and International Development Cooperation (GTZ)

-IISc developed tools and conduted pilots in Karnataka

Findings:

-increase in groundwater level, water percolation-improvement in soil fertility leading to improved land productivity.

-reduction in water vulnerability and livelihood vulnerability

-Other districts for similar studies being considered

10

Women : Custodians of the Environment

� Women are more severely affected by climate change and natural disasters

because of their social roles (providing daily essentials food, fuel, fodder,

water) and because of discrimination and poverty

(IUCN report on Gender & Climate Change)

� Production systems-food, water subject to climate variability

� Works under MGNREGA including afforestation, water conservation

contribute to adaptability to climate change

� Assessment of environment services- IISc conducting pilot study, using

water, agriculture and livelihood vulnerability indices to quantify

environmental services rendered by MGNREGA workers

Preliminary findings suggest reduction in water vulnerability index,

agriculture vulnerability, livelihood vulnerability index

Investing in Climate Change for the Poor:

Can MGNREGA be effectively harnessed

• Climate change policy & mechanisms can generate

income for small & marginal farmers and investment flows

for rural communities

• Only 3-4% of carbon trading is sourced from agriculture,

land use, land use change, agroforestry and forestry

• Using the unique identity of MGNREGA workers,

NREGA works, detailed documentation & records, the

MIS systems in place and advanced ICT to streamline

measurement, financial flows to benefit rural communities

from carbon trading

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1. Adaptation to Climate change / Variability service

� Reducing vulnerability to climate variability and climate change

� Drought proofing� Water conservation, water harvesting & irrigation, etc� Afforestation, horticulture, etc

1. Climate change mitigation - service

� Carbon sequestration

� Land development; soil conservation

� Tree planting activities

� Afforestation & Horticulture

3. Food security - service

� Land development

� Water conservation

� Water harvesting

� Provision of irrigation facility

Programme synergies for natural resource management,

livelihood security and sustainable development

4. Water security

� Desilting of tanks, Water harvesting, etc

� Renovation of traditional water bodies

5. Livelihood security

� Tree planting

� Afforestation and horticulture, fuelwood supply

� Land development

6. Biodiversity conservation

� Tree planting

� Horticulture

� Afforestation

7. Natural resource conservation

� Land development

� Water conservation

� Afforestation

12

Working models, convergence

Working Model: Orissa, Mayurbhanj, GanjamConvergence: Model I

Horticulture & PlantationHorticulture & Plantation

Community Tank under NREGS

Fishery through SHGs

Community Tank under NREGS

Fishery through SHGs

Irrigation & Water

Conservation

Irrigation & Water

Conservation

13

Convergence: Model II

Watershed Development under NREGSFishery through

the SHGs

Watershed Development under NREGSFishery through

the SHGsIrrigation Irrigation

Animal Husbandry

Animal Husbandry

Social ForestrySocial

ForestryPlantation &HorticulturePlantation &Horticulture

Soil and Water Conservation

Soil and Water Conservation

Convergence: Model III

Rural Connectivity

under NREGS

Rural Connectivity

under NREGS

PlantationPlantationWater

ConservationWater

Conservation

Conversion into Pucca Road through

PMGSY

Conversion into Pucca Road through

PMGSY

14

Selected Villages in Mayurbhanj District

Identified Villages/GPs for MGNREGS Convergence in Mayurbhanj District and Activities undertaken

S.N. Name of BlockName of Gram Panchayts(GPs) Village Major Activities Departments involved

1 Morada Sureidihi Chakundapada

(i) Farm Pond-Horticulture-Pisciculture-Poultry-irrigation(ii) Community Tank-Pisciculture-Horticulture-Irrigation

(i) Horticulture, Fishery, KVK, Agriculture

(ii) Horticulture, Fishery, KVK, Agriculture, SGSY

Bhaliadiha KalarafuliaFarm Pond-Horticulture-Pisciculture-Poultry-irrigation Horticulture, Fishery, KVK, Agriculture

2 Bangiriposi Surisapal KanchindaFarm Pond-Horticulture-Pisciculture-irrigation Horticulture, Fishery, Agriculture

Budhikhamari Budhikhamari Community Tank-Fishery-Horticulture Fishery, Horticulture, Veterinary

3 Samakhunta Paikabasa Harischandrapur

(i) Farm Pond-Horticulture-Pisciculture-Poultry-irrigation(ii) Community Tank-Pisciculture-Horticulture-Irrigation

(i) Horticulture, Fishery, KVK, Agriculture

(ii) Horticulture, Fishery, KVK, Agriculture

Rangamatia Kundalbani Farm Pond-Pisciculture-irrigationFishery, Agriculture

4 Kuliana Baiganabadia BalipalFarm Pond-Horticulture-Pisciculture-Poultry-irrigation

Horticulture, Fishery, KVK, Agriculture, SGSY

Nodhana NodhanaFarm Pond-Horticulture-Pisciculture-Poultry-irrigation

Horticulture, Fishery, KVK, Agriculture, SGSY

Selected Villages in Ganjam DistrictsIdentified Villages/GPs for MGNREGS Convergence in Ganjam District and Activities undertaken

S.No.

Name of Block Name of Gram Panchayts(GPs)

Village Major Activities Departments involved

1 Hinjlicut Saru Saru Tank-Pisciculture- Plantation-Irrigation Fisheries, Irrigation, Horticulture, KVK

Darubhadra Darubhadra Tank-Pisciculture- Plantation-Irrigation Fisheries, Irrigation, Horticulture, KVK

2 Rangeilunda Biswanathpur Biswanathpur Tank-Irrigation-Plantation-Rural connectivity

Horticulture, Irrigation, Fishery, Agriculture-KVK

Chikrada Chikrada Tank-Plantation-Piscicultur-/Horticulture

Fisheries, Horticulture, Irrigation, Agriculture-KVK

3 Sheragada Sheragada Ramagiri Tank-Plantation Fisheries, Horticulture, Agriculture-KVK

Karadakana Karadakana Tank-Poultry farm-Rural connectivity-Plantation

Fisheries, Horticulture, Agriculture-KVK

4 Sana-Khemundi T. Govindpur Khaprabar Rural connectivity-Tank-Watershed Development- Forestry-Plantation

Horticulture, PMGSY, Fisheries, Forest, Water Resources, Agriculture-KVK,

Singipur Harina Rural Connectivity- Tank-Plantation-Watershed Development-Horticulture-Forestry

Horticulture, PMGSY, Fisheries, Forest, Water Resources, Agriculture-KVK

15

Major Findings: Perceptions of Line Department Officials

Difficulties Faced by the Line Departments

FISH. DEPT FOREST DEPT MI DEPT PR DEPT WR DEPT Total

LACK OF COOPERATION FROM PRIs

���� ����

LACK OF COORDINATION���� ���� ���� ���� ���� ����

LACK OF CORDINATION AND INFORMATION

���� ���� ����

LACK OF PROPER PLANNING���� ���� ����

Best Practices

� Initiative at local level� Approach - derived not imposed� People’s participation� Emphasis on sustainability and natural resource management� Simultaneity of works� Creation of social assets� Social safety net� Involvement of SHGs in extension works� Socio-economic Inclusiveness� Resource mobilization

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Model Convergence

� Khaprabar village under T. Gobindpur Panchayat� Tribal Village consisting of 20 households� Major Occupation:

� Cultivation� Forest collection

� Convergence Initiative: Fish Pond, Irrigation, Plantation, Horticulture

Model Convergence

� Fish Pond

17

Model Convergence

� Paddy Field and Fruit Bearing Trees

Good Practices & Innovations

Banaskanttha District

Infrastructure Development:

• Open/close drainage line

• Stone pitching in pond (On going)

Livelihood:

• Horticulture through waste water management

34

18

Banaskantha District @ Vadgam @ village Meetha

35

•Asset/s Created: Horticulture and Seasonal Vegetable Plantation

•Immediate Benefits: Employment generation •Asset Durability: Very high•Possible Impact: Livelihood enhancement, Promotion of recycling technology and wasteland development

The farmers can easily earn Rs. 4000-6000 per month

Dang District @ Ahawa @ village Shamgatan

• Convergence Activity: Bhagat Udyan

• Convergence Dept.: Forest

• Asset/s Created: Plantations of Indigenous Medicines

• Immediate Benefits: Assured employment for the poor, assured wages, recycling of resources

• Asset Durability: Very high

• Possible Impact: Livelihood enhancement, Promotion and conservation of indigenous medicines

and practices

36

19

Replicable Success Stories/Good PracticesReplicable Success Stories/Good Practices

Plantation in Chaukati Village Plantation at Nakati Hills

A Privately Owned Nursery under NREGA in village Kayethapara

20

Water Conservation Tank in Srijangram

Development Block

Construction of bundh from Champa

bridge to Baghmara village with cross

drainage

Construction of earthen bundh and

palliative measures at eroded portion at

Char area

21

Pineapple Plantation in Mulagaon GP

Plantation of Banana in Alukhanda Village

Kerala, MammalpuramNREGS convergence in Agriculture

�282 works have been carried out with an expenditure of 97 lakh rupees. Around 600 hectares of land got benefited

Agriculture works in Monitoring BlocksBlock GP No of Works Area in Ha Expenditure

TirurThalakkad 3 6 48,000

Trippangode 12 25 2,76,000

Ponnani Edappal 31 12.5 7,37,000

Thavanur 34 13.18 10,06,000

Nilambur Chungathara 5 61 10,75,000

KuttipuramKuttipuram 1 19 2,32,853

Irimbiliyam 36 87 16,78,853

22

NREGS Convergence with Agricultural Farms

�NREGS involvement in Six Agricultural Farms

�Focus on production of quality seeds

�One Agricultural Farm in the Monitoring GPs

�In dire situation due to shortage of funds and labour

�Most of the land unutilized – production reduced

�NREGS in land development activities –freed technical labour for skilled work

�In 2008-09, Rs. 2,04,461 were spent,

NREGS Convergence with KVK

�KVK in Malappuram participated in NEW Delhi meeting of 29th April 2009 (convergence with ICAR)

�DRDA-KVK meeting to train SGSY beneficiaries, technological demonstrations, skill development

�NREGS involvement in KVK farm’s land development

�In 2008-09, 717 persondays, 1.5 lakhrupees

�In 2009-10, works carried out in three reaches – 2378 persondays, Rs. 2,98,728

23

NREGS-Forest Department Convergence

� 758 sq. kms of forest land in Malappuram District

� Significant Forest areas in Nilambur Blokc

� Two Forest Divisions Operating from NilamburTown

� Vetiver plantation in Vazhikkadavu-Nadukani pass which located in Highway connecting Kerala with Tamilnadu

� A total of 5697 persondays and Rs. 12,41,536 were used for this project under NREGS in 2008-09

� in 2009-10 the expenditure gone up to Rs. 15,70,314

�Much scope to increase convergence with Forest Department

� 220 ST colonies in Nilambur Block

Plantations & bunding: Kerala

24

Nursery, Bilaspur Forest Division, Chhattisgarh

Water pond for orchards , Jammu & Kashmir

25

Dug Well, Madhya Pradesh

Check Dam , Jammu & Kashmir

26

Conservation and Afforestation of forest area: Water, Fodder, Water Tank and

Nursery Gujarat

After restoration

Water Conservation Tank, Andhra Pradesh