Lok Sabha Question No. 137 (STARRED), answered on 2021-12-07
Subject: Employment for Rural Women under MGNREGS
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Rattan Lal Kataria

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. 137 ANSWERED ON 07/12/2021

## EMPLOYMENT FOR RURAL WOMEN UNDER MGNREGS

## *137.   SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  rural  women  are  getting  employment  opportunities  under  the  Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS);
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the work of construction of dams in the rural areas near the fields has also been included under MGNREGS; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI GIRIRAJ SINGH)

- (a) to (d):       A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## Statement  in  reply  to  parts  (a)  to  (d)  of  Lok  Sabha  Starred  Question  No.  137  for 07.12.2021

(a)  &  (b)    Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment  Guarantee  Scheme  (Mahatma Gandhi NREGS) is a demand driven wage employment programme which 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 whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.

As  per  the  Para  15  of  Schedule-II  of  the  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment Guarantee Act, 'Priority shall be given to women in such a way that at least one-third of the beneficiaries shall be women who have registered and requested for work. Efforts to increase participation of single women and the disabled shall be made'.

Mahatma  Gandhi NREG  Scheme  is a gender neutral programme which promotes participation of women by providing wage parity with men, provision of separate schedule of rates of wages for women, facilities for crèche, work-side sheds for children and child care services. In convergence with NRLM, women mates have also been introduced, which again facilitate the participation of women. The Scheme also endeavors to provide works near the residence of the beneficiaries. These measures enhance participation of women.

The rate  of  participation  of  women  in  Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGS  during  the  last  three financial years and current financial year is given below:

(As per MIS)

| Financial Year                       |   2018-19 |   2019-20 |   2020-21 |   2021-22 (as on 01.12.2021) |
|--------------------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|------------------------------|
| Percentage of participation of Women |     54.59 |     54.78 |     53.19 |                         54.1 |

(c)  &  (d)  As  per  Schedule  I  of  Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGA   Section  4  (3),  Para  4  (1), I.  Category:  A  :  Public  works  relating  to  Natural  Resource  Management:  (i)  Water Conservation  and  water  harvesting  structures  to  augment  and  improve  ground  water  like underground dykes , earthen dams, stop dams, check dams and  roof top rain water harvesting structures  in  Government/Panchayat  buildings  with  focus  on  recharging  ground  water including drinking water sources are permissible activities under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA. The details of different kind of check dams/Anicuts works completed under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS  during  last  three  financial  years  and  current  financial  year  2021-22  (as  on 28.11.2021) is given below:

| Financial Year                        | FY 2018-19   | FY 2019-20     | FY 2020-21   | FY 2021-22 (as on 28.11.2021)   |
|---------------------------------------|--------------|----------------|--------------|---------------------------------|
| Number of check dams etc. completed   | 65,772       | 69,515         | 97,602       | 68,321                          |
| Total expenditure made (Rs. In crore) | 2881.80      | 3395.285310.38 |              | 3862.83                         |

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