Analysis: MGNREGA is a perfect tribute to Mahatma Gandhi

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act — or MGNREGA as it is commonly known — has completed five years. Since its inception, I remember how joyous I was while becoming part of the process of its being passed in the Lok Sabha. In fact, we were restless for the delay in the presenting of the standing committee's report. I felt it took too long a time in deliberating and in seeking the views of all the stakeholders. But once the committee submitted its report in parliament, there was a demand to bring the bill for consideration and pass it as early as possible.

And when the bill was listed for consideration and passing, I remember, there was enthusiasm all around. I was in a particularly great mood, as one of my dreams was about to be fulfilled.

I remember the days when we had in Himmatnagar organised a meeting to form the union of agricultural labourers. We were also demanding work for agriculture labourers round the year. In fact, we adopted a slogan, “every day with the sun rise, we get the work” and printed the posters. This was perhaps in 1986 or 1987.

The day the bill came in the Lok Sabha for consideration and passing, parliament was full. Every MP felt that he/she was becoming a part of history for passing such a bill which would go a long way in removal of poverty by providing work to every able man/women in rural India who intended to work, or at least who was trying to find work for his/her family. The Act was to come into effect first in 200 districts of India, and work would be provided for 100 days.

The bill was passed after speeches by the MPs and I think there was unanimity. No party opposed the bill. There were differences about the rate of wages, and its system of implementation, but there was agreement in general among all the political parties in the house. I was thrilled, as one of my visions was to see that every hand in rural India gets work.

I felt it was a perfect tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, who preached relentlessly for spinning on 'charkha' to provide work to millions of poor of this country. The passing of MGNREGA was in tune with that.

However, some state governments, mainly the non-Congress ones, felt that the passing of this bill would give the upper hand to the UPA government at the Centre, and in the beginning there was lesser enthusiasm than expected. These governments feared that the implementation of this Act in its letter and spirit would give credit to Congress and hence poor people would votes for the Congress in the states. Hence many states delayed the implementation under one pretext or the other. 

After five years of its implementation many issues have come to the floor — both positive and negative: that labourers do get the work, and wages, but at some places they are paid between Rs. 80 and 90, and at other places as low as Rs. 50; that there is a delay in payment of wages to them at many places. Complaints of corruption also surfaced.  Where there is awareness about the programme, the implementation is good, and flow of money though the work has reached the remotest of villages; that the programme has empowered the agricultural labourers and increased their bargaining power.

The attitude of many state governments including the state of Gujarat remained deplorable. According to the Tendulker report, Gujarat has 37% people living below the poverty line, and yet under the guise that Gujarat is a developed state and since labourers don't come forward for work, the administration doesn't attempt to start work for them, and hence it lagged behind in spending money available under the MGNREGA scheme in comparison with other states.  

In Saurashtra, where agricultural wages are high, often during my visit to the areas I find the villagers are keen to work if they are provided the same. However, they don't have an idea that this is a demand driven programme and those who intend to work have to ask for the work in writing and submit it to the sarpanch, talati, or TDO.

Though many complaints of misuse of money, corruption and apathy of the administration have come from Gujarat and other states, I feel that this commitment of the government of India to provide money through work to rural areas in India, augment the rural economy, and make their living condition better is
a great thin.

The writer is an ex-MP & chief whip (Lok Sabha).