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Rajiv Gandhi once said, “Development is not just about factories, dams and roads. Development is basically about people. The goal of development is to fulfil their aspirations. The human factor, the human context is of supreme value.” While India is gradually emerging as a world power, a lot of regional disparities in development still exist. In the present world economic scenario marked by globalization and liberalization, there has been an inherent conflict between economic growth and human development. Thus the present United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government has put adequate emphasis on ensuring a human face of development. The launch of the National Food For Work Programme (NFFWP) is an important component of the Government’s pro-poor policy. The National Common Minimum Programme (NCMP) of the Government says that, “The UPA Government will immediately enact a National Employment Guarantee Act. This will provide a legal guarantee for at least 100 days of employment to begin with an asset-creating public works programmes every year at minimum wages for at least one able-bodied person in every rural, urban poor and lower middle class household. In the interim, a massive food-for-work programme will be started.” True to its commitment made in the NCMP, the UPA Government has come forward with an Employment Guarantee Bill to be passed by Parliament. Meanwhile, the National Food For Work Programme in 150 most backward districts of the country is being implemented. The programme was launched by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Aloor village in Ranga Reddy district of Andhra Pradesh on November 14, 2004. In the financial year 2004-05, Rs. 2020 crore was allocated for the scheme. In addition, 20 lakh tonnes of foodgrains are to be provided to the States. In the Union Budget for 2005-06, Rs.5400 crore has been allocated for the NFFWP.
The Prime Minister has said that the dream of Mahatma Gandhi for ‘Sampurna Gram Swaraj’ would come true by providing all amenities to the children, women and the people in general in villages through a strengthened Panchayati Raj system. He said that the villages would become self-sufficient when the National Food for work Programme is implemented in right earnest.
Objective
The objective of the NFFWP is to provide additional resources apart from the resources available under the Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana (SGRY) to 150 poorest districts of the country. These districts have been identified by the Planning Commission in consultation with the Ministry of Rural Development and the concerned State Governments. The Planning Commission has identified the 150 most backward districts on the basis of agricultural productivity per worker, agricultural wage rate and SC/ST population. These districts have been identified in 27 States. Their number is: Andhra Pradesh – 8, Arunachal Pradesh – 1, Assam – 5, Bihar – 15, Chhatisgarh – 10, Gujarat – 6, Haryana – 1, Himachal Pradesh – 1, J & K – 2, Jharkhand – 14, Karnataka – 3, Kerala – 1, Madhya Pradesh – 15, Maharashtra – 11, Manipur – 1, Meghalaya – 1, Mizoram – 1, Nagaland – 1, Orissa – 18, Punjab – 1, Rajasthan – 5, Sikkim – 1, TamilNadu – 4, Tripura – 1, Uttaranchal – 2, Uttar Pradesh – 15 and West Bengal – 6. The need for the NFFWP was felt as the resources available in the SGRY were not sufficient to meet the requirements of additional wage employment in the most backward districts.
The NFFWP is fully sponsored by the Centre and foodgrains are provided to the States free of cost. The transportation cost, handling charges and taxes on foodgrains are, however, the responsibility of the States. Under the NFFWP, foodgrains are given as part of wages to the rural poor at the rate of 5 kg per manday. More than 5 kg of foodgrains can be given to the labourers under this programme in exceptional cases subject to a minimum of 25 per cent of wages to be paid in cash. The norm of minimum 5 kg of foodgrains and minimum of 25 per cent wages in cash are maintained as far as possible. In the event of non-availability or inadequate availability of foodgrains, wages in kind may be less than 5 kg of foodgrains per manday and the remaining portion may be given in cash. In the event of less availability of cash, the wages in cash may be less than 25 per cent and the remaining portion may be given in kind as foodgrains.
The NFFWP has been undertaken for rural poor who are in need of wage employment and want to do manual and unskilled work. The works under the NFFWP are related to water conservation, drought proofing, including afforestation and tree plantation, land development, flood control and protection including drainage in waterlogged areas, all-weather roads and any other similar activity for economic sustainability. However, the principal focus of the programme is on water conservation.
Vigilance
The guidelines for NFFWP issued by the Centre has elaborated on auditing the works under the NFFWP. The programme is to be funded primarily by the Centre. It is to be distributed through the Panchayati Raj system. To prevent the misuse of funds, the guidelines have clearly laid down steps for social audit and vigilance at the grassroot level.
NFFWP is an important instrument for ensuring employment generation so that each family is assured of a safe and viable livelihood. In a country like India with complex socio-economic, political structure, implementation of such a huge ambitions project is not an easy task. NFFWP has already started with much enthusiasm, particularly in West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh. In contrast to the trickle down theory of economic development, the approach behind NCMP and NFFWP is based on the Keynsian model of employment where the State takes proactive steps for generating employment opportunities by way of tackling demand deficiency. The NFFWP is a pro-poor redistributive scheme which is a notable achievement in itself.
*Freelance Writer, Kolkata
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