(Sample Material) Study Kit on Current Affairs for UPSC Mains Examination
Polity, Governance and Social Justice: Livelihood for the Marginalised
The most fundamental of all human rights is the right to life. Every person’ has the right to live a dignified life. A life of dignity cannot be ensured by providing free food, clothes, medicine and other necessities but by providing a means of livelihood. The various employment generation programmes of the government, culminating in the present Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) is a recognition of this fact. The MNREG Scheme is the largest employment programme in the human history (Shah, 2008). Though the scheme was initially introduced in only 200 districts, it is now functioning in all the districts of the country. It has been introduced in a phased manner, phase-I, 200 districts (2.006-07), phase-II, 130 districts (2007-08) and phase-III, all the remaining districts (April 20.08).
Impact of NREGS-An Overview
The salient features of NERGS are livelihood security, right based employment programme, demand driven, universal, participatory planning and implementation, good governance and more female oriented. The NREGS is providing livelihood security by providing 100 days of employment within 15 days of application to all people, who have applied for wage employment. If no work is provided within 15 days of application, the applicants will be eligible for unemployment allowance. The work should be given within 5 km radius from the applicant’s residence and the work site should have all basic facilities. The payment for the work must be made within 15 days. The workers are also eligible for medical aid.
