Water conservation under NREGA stepped up for higher rabi yields

With the specter of drought looming over more than 250 districts across the country, the rural development ministry has intensified efforts of taking up water conservation works under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) for increasing rabi season yield.

The focus is to ensure that the ground water level is increased through taking up works such as de-silting of ponds, renovation of traditional water bodies, for conserving soil moisture for the forthcoming rabi or winter season.

?Through rain water conservation, we intend to neutralise the shortfall in kharif yield by increasing rabi output,? a senior rural development ministry official told FE.

The rural development ministry has asked state governments to use NREGA funds for taking up works, which would tap monsoon rains ?as much as possible?.

?Special attention may be given to works like water conservation, water harvesting, and renovation of water bodies to ensure proper use of every drop of water,? the rural development ministry said in a recent communication to state governments.

The ministry has already issued guidelines in collaboration with department of land resources for taking up watershed works.

Besides taking up water conservation works, the rural development ministry has also asked state governments to pay wages under NREGA within a fortnight through measurement of works on a daily basis.

?This will ensure that the muster rolls are consolidated and wages disbursed within a week of closure of muster rolls,? a rural development ministry communication said.

?Delays in wage payment would adversely affect the labourer working under NREGA in a drought like situation,? the rural development ministry has said.

The ministry has advocated taking up works under NREGA pro-actively so that adverse impact of the drought condition prevailing in many districts across the country could be addressed to.

In a recent all party meeting on Nrega, rural development minister CP Joshi said that there was a consensus on the issue and the programme will be implemented in such a way so that the drought hit areas are benefited.

He said that works like digging of wells and other development works will be taken up in the drought-hit areas.

The government had earlier decided to converge its flagship NREGA with other social sector programmes from agriculture, environment and water resources ministries for better impact and expansion of outreach.

In the first stage, a total of 115 pilot districts across 22 districts identified by the government for such convergence efforts.

Under NREGA, which provided employment opportunities to more than 4.47 crore households last fiscal, the budgetary allocation was to tune of Rs 39,100 crore for current fiscal which marks an increase of 144% over 2008-09 budget estimates.

NREGA guarantees 100 days of wage employment to all rural folks was launched initially in 200 districts in February 2006 and later extended to rest of the country from last fiscal.