[Press Release of February 2, 2009]
On 2nd February 2006, implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) 2005 began. However, the Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity (PBKMS) observes with alarm that even after three years West Bengal is performing dismally. A large section of bureaucrats and elected representatives are viewing the distress of rural workers with callousness. They are ensuring that little employment is provided to them, thus ensuring that rural wages remain depressed.
The NREGA has shown certain benefits. It has led to a greater awareness amongst rural workers about the statutory minimum wage. The repeated increase in the statutory minimum wage has led to a rise in agricultural wages in a few pockets. Proper implementation of the Act in some areas has led to a marginal reduction in migration. The available funds have been used for development in a few cases. For example, a fraternal organisation of the PBKMS, Bagan Bachao Committee in Shikarpur Tea Estate (Jalpaiguri) has achieved 100 days of work for all its 1550 member-workers and has used the employment generated successfully for the development and revival of their closed garden.
The general picture is however distressing and the above developments have been there despite the Government and not because of it. We give some information below, while details will be provided by our members from various districts:-
Creation of employment
West Bengal has been able to create only a marginal number of days of employment per household and has always been behind national averages:
| | Number of days of employment created per household | ||
| Year | National | Best performing state | West Bengal |
| 2006-07 | 43 | 85 (Rajasthan) | 14 |
| 2007-08 | 42 | 77 (Rajasthan) | 25 |
| 2008-09 (up to 23rd January 2009) | 40 | 60 (Rajasthan) | 22 |
It has recently been declared that Bankura and Paschim Midnapore are well performing districts and are to get prizes for the same. We give their performance figures below which are below national averages and no where close to the law of providing at least 100 days of work.
| | Number of days of employment created per household | ||
| Year | National | Bankura | Paschim Midnapore |
| 2006-07 | 43 | 24 | 16 |
| 2007-08 | 42 | 41 | 24 |
| 2008-09 (up to 23rd January 2009) | 40 | 20 | 22 |
Employment is also being created mainly during the dry season. Every year, during the monsoons, after sowing, the local authorities have failed to create sufficient employment especially in South Bengal, even though this is the time when work is needed very badly and when unemployment and starvation are at their peak in these districts. There is the need for a special initiative to identify suitable works for the monsoons, but even after three years of NREGA, this has not been done.
The Election Commission in 2006 during the West Bengal Assembly Elections had clearly stated that the NREGS works, as they are governed by a law that guarantees employment, need not be stopped once the Code of Conduct comes into force. In spite of this in 2006 due to Assembly elections, and in 2008 due to Panchayat elections, hardly any employment was created by the administration on the excuse of the elections. We fear that the same is likely to happen before and during the forthcoming 2009 Lok Sabha polls.
Women’s Work
On the issue of work for women, though 33% of employment generated has to be for women according to the Act, West Bengal has lagged behind drastically:
| | Percentage of employment created for women | ||
| Year | National | Best performing state | West Bengal |
| 2006-07 | 40.44 | 81.11 (Tamil Nadu) | 18.28 |
| 2007-08 | 42.52 | 82.01 (Tamil Nadu) | 16.99 |
| 2008-09 (up to 23rd January 2009) | 48.86 | 79.09 (Tamil Nadu) | 21.67 |
West Bengal leads in India in trafficking of women and girls, especially from districts like South 24 Parganas, Malda and Murshidabad. The problem of trafficking is linked directly with poverty and unemployment in the families of such women and girls. In addition, social taboos make these very poor women reluctant to take up earthwork and therefore participation in NREGA by women is also very low in these districts. It is essential that the Government take special initiative to identify special schemes under NREGA other than those involving only earthwork.
First time entrants into the wage market amongst women who do overcome social barriers to do earth work are however unable to meet the tasks set by the Government and therefore end up receiving wages as low as Rs.22 per day after working the whole day.
Patriarchal officials and elected representatives punish many first time women workers who demand work by providing them with employment at distant works, though the rules clearly state that women must be given work near their homes.
Other Benefits Under the Act
Under the law, applicants who do not get work are to be given unemployment allowance. Except for 35 people (7 from Namkhana block, South 24 Parganas and 28 from Barida GP, Egra 1 block, Purba Midnapore) all of whom were PBKMS members, no one has received unemployment allowance in West Bengal so far, though thousands of people are not getting work even after applying.
The law provides for payment of compensation under the Payment of Wages Act 1936 for late payment of wages. Wages are to be paid within 15 days as per the law. However, payments after 45-50 days are not unusual. There have been cases where even after a year (in Bera Beri GP of Singur, Hooghly), wages have not been paid. In spite of this, as far as we know, not a single worker in West Bengal has been paid such compensation.
In spite of complaints, statutory work site facilities such as crèches for children of women workers, a shade for rest and a first aid box are almost never available. Travelling allowance for distant work sites, medical expenses for work site injuries and compensation for death at the work site are also not paid though there is a provision for these in the law.
Redressal of complaints
While the Act and the West Bengal Scheme provide for redressal of complaints by the BDO and the DM within 15 days, PBKMS can cite examples of hundreds of complaints that have not been dealt with in the past three years. While the West Bengal Scheme provides for maintenance of a complaint registers at all Gram Panchayats, blocks and districts, in very few places do such registers exist.
Elected Representatives, Staff and Corruption
Applicant households are finding themselves at the mercy of a class of unscrupulous Government employees who create problems at each stage of the implementation of the programme. Inexperienced Panchayat representatives often find themselves at the mercy of such officials. Often however, Panchayat representatives join hands with the officials to ensure that the NREGA remains on paper alone.
In addition, in many places a number of bogus job cards and false entries in job cards have been identified by the PBKMS which are being used for siphoning off of NREGS funds.
PBKMS demands:
Immediate opening of works for all applicants so that each household can get 100 days of work by March 31st 2009.
No suspension of NREGA works during the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, in keeping with the directions of the Election Commission.
Identification of suitable works that can be opened during the monsoon in 2009 and special creation of employment for first time wage earning women as well as relaxation in piece rate for them.
Payment of minimum wages to all workers who put in 7 hours of work, regardless of output.
Payment of unemployment allowance and compensation for late payment of wages.
Provision of all statutory facilities at the work site.
Immediate redressal of all complaints within 15 days with exemplary punishment.
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