New Delhi: The National Rural Employment Scheme was one of the trump cards in UPA's stable. But the success of the scheme was punctured by charges of corruption and pilferage.
A mammoth task awaits Nandan Nilekeni in his new capacity as the head of the Unique Identification Authority.
The big man of Indian IT will have to ensure that biometric cards are issued for the thousands of beneficiaries under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme-II so that the government can counter charges of corruption and pilferage that had marred much of the achievements of the first round.
NREGS-II will have correspondents with hand-held devices to deliver wages to the workers, ensure durable asset creation and increase farm productivity to help small and marginal farmers return to farming minimising their dependence on the scheme.
UPA-II: NREGS-II
- NREGS correspondents to deliver wages
- Durable asset creation
- Increase farm productivity
- Decrease dependence on NREGS
The Budget for 2009-10 has allocated 39,100 crore rupees for the NREGS. The rural development ministry already has 10,000 crore rupees in its kitty for the programme. Experts say money will not be a problem and the revamped NREGS is likely to be rolled out in couple of weeks.