National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) notified on 7th September, 2005 Aims at Enhancing livelihood security of households in rural areas of the country by Providing at least 100 day of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled work General status of NREGA in Karnataka state (As on April ) Number of Districts covered in Karnataka State I Phase ( ) : 5 districts were introduced II Phase ( ) : 6 districts III Phase ( ) : remaining 18 districts were brought ParticularsQuantity Employment provided to households7.5 Lakhs Total person days generated6.09 Lakhs Women2.91 Lakhs (47.59%) Total fund crore Total works taken up47277 Expenditure crore

Districts Good (Higher Person Days) Chitradurga ( I Phase) Hassan ( II Phase) Poor ( Low Person Days) Shimoga ( II Phase) Davanagere I Phase Basis for Selection of Block\Taluk Proximity to urban centre Based on financial performance Based on person days Basis for selection of GP and works Random selection One village and one work for each G.P ( 4 G.Ps per Block) Out of 4 works per block, 3 ongoing works and one completed work

Good Performing (Higher Person days) Poor Performing (Low Person days) Total sample size in each district: 80 workers Out of 4 works per block, 3 ongoing works and one completed work District I st Block I GP 1 Village II GP 1 Village III GP 1 Village IV GP 1 Village II nd Block I GP 1 Village II GP 1 Village III GP 1 Village IV GP 1 Village

Data was collected at Micro and Macro levels Macro level- Block level District level Micro Level- Gram Panchayath level Village level Work site level Interaction with Deputy Secretary Interaction with G.P secretary Interaction with Rozgar Sahayak Data collection from labourers

Chitradurga BeforeAfter Paired t test Annual mean income ** No. of beneficiaries per family ** No. of working days per year ** Job satisfaction (%)3570 Bank account opened (%) Migration (% of respondent) Hassan BeforeAfter Paired t test Annual mean income * No. of beneficiaries per family NS No. of working days per year ** Job satisfaction (%) Bank account opened (%) Migration (% of respondent) Shimoga BeforeAfter Paired t test Annual mean income * No. of beneficiaries per family ** No. of working days per year ** Job satisfaction (%) Bank account opened (%) Migration (% of respondent) ** indicates that 1 per cent level of significance, * indicates that 5 per cent level of significance ** indicates that 1 per cent level of significance, * indicates that 5 per cent level of significance ** indicates that 1 per cent level of significance, * indicates that 5 per cent level of significance

Constraints-General Demand driven approach is not properly appreciated at all levels Inadequate manpower to implement and supervise NREGA works Wherever Market wage rates are higher, implementation of NREGA suffered Inadequate technical support

Labour level Most of the GP secretaries are not adequately qualified/trained to understand the procedures and process to execute the NREGA works efficiently Delay in payment due to delay in writing the MB book MIS not updated (Arasikere block) Poor level of entries in job cards Lack of awareness about social audit Weak convergence of NREGA with other Departments like Watershed Most of the GP secretaries are not adequately qualified/trained to understand the procedures and process to execute the NREGA works efficiently Delay in payment due to delay in writing the MB book MIS not updated (Arasikere block) Poor level of entries in job cards Lack of awareness about social audit Weak convergence of NREGA with other Departments like Watershed Gram Panchayath level NREGA Wage rate lower than Market wage rate (Rs.111.7/day) Demand for advance payment Less labour demand for NREGA work due to migration Organizing Labour is difficult In case of community works, sense of belongingness is lacking Delay in Payment ( 20 days-Arasikere ) Especially in summer, works which involve digging there is shortage of men labour No awareness about Provision and procedures of the Act ( 10 %) NREGA Wage rate lower than Market wage rate (Rs.111.7/day) Demand for advance payment Less labour demand for NREGA work due to migration Organizing Labour is difficult In case of community works, sense of belongingness is lacking Delay in Payment ( 20 days-Arasikere ) Especially in summer, works which involve digging there is shortage of men labour No awareness about Provision and procedures of the Act ( 10 %) Hassan District

Labour level Implementation of NREGA is difficult because of Irrigation. No demand for NREGA works in Irrigated area Most of the secretaries are not adequately qualified to clearly understand and appreciate the procedures and efficiently execute the works MIS not updated No technical support Implementation of NREGA is difficult because of Irrigation. No demand for NREGA works in Irrigated area Most of the secretaries are not adequately qualified to clearly understand and appreciate the procedures and efficiently execute the works MIS not updated No technical support Gram Panchayath level Demand for daily payment NREGA Wage rate lower than Market wage rate for men ( Female: Rs /day, Male Rs /day) Work available through out the year due to irrigation (Bhadravathi area) No awareness about Provisions and procedures of the Act Men labour ridiculed by neighbors for working under NREGA due to equal wage rate for men and women Demand for daily payment NREGA Wage rate lower than Market wage rate for men ( Female: Rs /day, Male Rs /day) Work available through out the year due to irrigation (Bhadravathi area) No awareness about Provisions and procedures of the Act Men labour ridiculed by neighbors for working under NREGA due to equal wage rate for men and women Shimoga District

Labour level Most secretaries are not adequately qualified to clearly understand the procedures and efficiently execute the works Delay in payment due to delay in writing the MB book, check measurement book MIS not updated Shortage of Staff to maintain NREGA records No entry in job cards ( %) No technical support Problem of middle men, use of mechanical devices like JCB and tractor Most secretaries are not adequately qualified to clearly understand the procedures and efficiently execute the works Delay in payment due to delay in writing the MB book, check measurement book MIS not updated Shortage of Staff to maintain NREGA records No entry in job cards ( %) No technical support Problem of middle men, use of mechanical devices like JCB and tractor Gram Panchayath level Demand for daily payment No awareness about Provisions and procedures of the Act Delay in payment ( 1 to 3 months) First aid kit not provided at work site ( In four blocks) Assets are of average quality, in some cases below average Demand for daily payment No awareness about Provisions and procedures of the Act Delay in payment ( 1 to 3 months) First aid kit not provided at work site ( In four blocks) Assets are of average quality, in some cases below average Chitradurga District

Best Practices Change of work timings -7 AM to 2-30 PM (Soraba) Performance of street play to create awareness Mobilization of labour force for executing community works, despite low NREGA wages

MIS is good in Hassan District Selection of works which provide benefit to the community. For instance construction of diversion canal in Barandur G.P limits prevented damage to the road, water stagnation and rain water gushing to the houses in low lying area Soraba: Desiltation of Tanks resulted increased water storage which enabled Increased productivity of paddy from 20 to 22 quintals/ac (area under paddy-50 ac) Two crops per year Ground water recharge ( 42 wells) Incremental Benefit cost ratio: 3.12 Rs.

Though the programme is said to be demand driven, actually labourers are not volunteering to participate in NREGA works- Needs motivation Where there is assured irrigation and in blocks close to Urban centers, NREGA implementation need not be target oriented Partial use of machineries may be permitted where manual work is difficult Need inter-sectoral approach for technical guidance Separate setup needs to be given for NREGA with professionals Need to reduce complicated procedures to make timely payment

Ratio of labour to material needs modification from 60:40 to 50:50 in order to improve the quality and durability of assets. Improving capacity building at G.P level Provide employment for 100 days for each individual in the household Provision for fencing the afforestation in CPR Enhance the administrative expenses from present 4 % to 10 % Wage rate may be enhanced from Rs.82 to 100/day (Difference in wage rate between men and women needs further debate) Continued

Rigorous efforts to create awareness among all the stakeholders regarding the procedures and provisions of NREGA Implementing agency at various level needs both administrative and technical strengthening Separate cadre of executive officers are required to implement NREGA more efficiently Minimize the number of records under NREGA

G.P Employment demandedEmployment provided No of families completed 100 days Gaps between employment demanded and provided (No. of HHs) HHspersonsHHspersonsperson days Ambuga Kowshika Markuli Tejur General Status of NREGA in Selected Gram Panchayath of Hassan Taluk Panchayath name Labour cost (Rs.) Material cost (Rs.) Total (Rs.) Proportion of expenditure on material and labour cost MaleFemale Participation of Female per one male Total Ambuga : Koushika : Markuli : Tejur : Financial performance of NREGA in Hassan Taluk

Panchayath name Labour cost (Rs.) Material cost (Rs.) Total (Rs.) Proportion of expenditure on material and labour cost MaleFemale Participation of Female per one male Total Ambuga : Koushika : Markuli : Tejur : Financial performance of NREGA in Hassan Taluk AmbugaKoushikaMarkuliTejur Education (%) Literate Illiterate Caste (%) SC/ST OBC Land holding (Acre) Landless Land holding < 2.5 acre Composition of beneficiary N=10

TejurAmbugaKoushikaMarkuli General Awareness about NREGA through this medium (%) Wall writing Radio Announcement through auto rickshaw0.0 tom Working neighbors Through Village Secretary /Local leader Families still need to know about NREGA Awareness about provisions and procedures of the Act (% of respondent) Meeting attended (% of respondent) Willingly participating in NREGA (%) Awareness among people about Provisions and their rights under NREGA in selected G.P of Hassan taluk and district N=10

TejurAmbugaKoushikaMarkuli Application Submitted for Employment (%) Registration without risk (%) Avg. Gap between registration and issue of job card (No. of Weeks) Entry in job card (%) Dated receipt issued by gram Panchayath (%) Photo in job card (%) Job card under custody (%) House Hold Gram Panchayath Work allotted in 15 days (%) Yes No Usefulness of the work (%) Status of Application submitted, Job card and Registration of Job card in Hassan (N=10)

Facilities at work site TejurAmbugaKoushikaMarkuli YesNoYesNoYesNoYesNo Drinking water Shade Medical aid Creche Facilities at work site in Selected Gram Panchayath of Hassan Taluk N=10

Gram Pancyath Sex Avg. Wage outside Avg. wage rate in NREGA No. of days worked per HHs Avg. No. of days required to receive wages Bank account opened Type of bank account JointIndividual Tejur Female Male Ambuga Female Male Koushika Female Male Markuli Female Male Details of Wage Payment, No of days worked per HHs and Details of Bank account of Beneficiary N=10 N=10

NREGA wage rate Vs Market wage rate

G.P Avg. No. of days worked under NREGA Amount earned through NREGA (Rs.) Bank account opened (%) Savings per weeks (Rs.) Participate in home management (% of Respondent) SHG members (%) JointIndividual Tejur Ambuga Koushika Markuli Women Empowerment N=10

TejurAmbugaKoushikaMarkuli No. of training attended Panchayath Secretary Wage seekers Number of staff given to supervise And implementation of NREGA 3.0 Execution of work Evidence of contractors and machinery No Measurement of work done one time with in a fortnight Yes Technical supervisionNo Monitoring Measurement of work doneYes Certification of work doneYes Monitoring functionaries Gram Panchayath and Block Gram Panchayath Gram Panchayath Gram Panchayath Social audit done (Yes/No)No Status of Staff, Training and monitoring in selected Gram Panchayath of Hassan