Empowering Rural Unemployed: MGNREGA Conference

Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India took the initiative for organizing a Consultative workshop. This workshop was conducted by Mohan Lal Sukhadia University on the topic ‘Need for Professional Resource Support to MGNREGA’. It was held at Hotel Royal Retreat on 20th October, 2010. The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005, aims at improving and enhancing the livelihood of the people in rural areas. This act guarantees hundred days of employment in a financial year to a rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. Rajasthan, India’s largest state has 66% of its total area as desert and tribal belts. Livestock population in the state is more than human population and around 66% of the population depends on agriculture and animal husbandry for their livelihoods. Rajasthan witness low literacy rate, and most of the population comes under the head of rural population. With all these in background, NREGA proves to be a boon for Rajasthan. The workshop organized in two sessions, one in the morning and the second session was held after lunch. Many dignitaries attended this workshop. Central Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Mr.C.P. Joshi, all Collectors of various districts of Rajasthan who are involved in the implementation of NREGA and various academicians and professors from various IITs and IIMs attended this workshop. The focus was to find out the opportunity of the Ministry coordinating with the academic institutions to overcome the hurdle in implementation of NREGA. The major aim of this workshop is to design a need-based curriculum at UG and PG level, with collaboration between Ministry, Bureaucrats and Academic Institutions. Stress being on  more practical approach, training and conducting workshops. In this context, MLSU has come up with a concrete proposal for collaboration with the ministry in design of curriculum and implementation of NREGA at ground levels through its students and NSS (National Service Scheme) wing of University. All appreciated this proposal. The workshop ended at around 5 pm with hope for a better and more effective implementation of NREGA and ensuring employment to rural and poor households through unskilled labor.