The participation of women in MNREGA works is 50.75 percent, the highest in the last four years
Along with wages, they are also taking advantage of livelihood promotion works as beneficiaries.
Raipur. 27 July 2020. In Chhattisgarh, half the population i.e. women participation in MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) works is more than half. In the first four months of the current financial year 2020-21, 24 lakh 28 thousand 234 women have got work under the scheme. In the state, the share of women in the total employment created during this period is 9 crore 17 lakh 87 thousand man-days, four crore 65 lakh 85 thousand. The participation of women in MNREGA works so far this year has been 50.75 per cent, the highest in the last four years, even though four months of the current financial year have not been completed.
A total of 48 lakh 14 thousand 330 laborers have been provided employment in Chhattisgarh under various MNREGA works this year. These include 24 lakh 28 thousand 234 women workers. The share of women in MNREGA works is continuously increasing. The participation of women in the year 2016-17 has been 49.31 percent, 49.71 percent in 2017-18, 50.05 percent in 2018-19, 50.70 percent in 2019-20 and 50.75 percent in the current financial year so far. The highest share of women has been achieved in the first four months of this year. MNREGA is proving to be a large and accessible means of employment for women too.
Durg district is the first in the state to provide employment to women under MGNREGA. In the MNREGA works this year, there is 64 percent female participation. Women account for 62 per cent of the total employment generated in Balod, 59 per cent in Rajnandgaon, 54 per cent in Raipur, 52 per cent in Bastar and 51-51 per cent in Bilaspur, Dhamtari, Kondagaon and Narayanpur.
The various beneficiary-oriented works under MNREGA include labor, goat shelter, poultry shelter, paved floors for cattle, katana construction, land leveling, well construction and private dabri construction etc. In addition to wages in MGNREGA works, women are taking advantage of these works as beneficiaries, and are increasing their livelihood through works like agriculture, horticulture, fisheries, goat rearing and poultry farming. According to MNREGA provisions, it is mandatory to have one-third of women in employment. Provision has also been made to increase the participation of Divyang and single women.