New Delhi: Allaying
apprehensions of the state governments, the Centre on Monday said it is
committed to strengthening MNREGA and is taking all steps to ensure
uninterrupted flow of funds for the implementation of the improvised version of
the rural job scheme.
Noting
that MNREGA helped arrest distress migration of people from rural areas to
urban centres, Rural Development Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh said he will
request the Finance Ministry for more funds for implementation of the improved
version of the scheme in which skill development is a major component.
Addressing
the 10th Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) Divas
here, the Minister said, "We are talking about creation of quality assets
and physical infrastructure but why don't we have human assets under
MNREGA?"
Singh
said the government did not want to keep MNREGA workers unskilled labourers
forever and efforts would be made to turn them into skilled ones.
"If
30 youngsters of a village are to be trained to become physically fit for
joining Armed forces, and if such a training is given by a retired security
personnel for two months, why they should not be treated at the same footing as
MNREGA workers' training?," he asked.
"He
(the trainer) is creating that quality asset, which is a human asset," the
Minister said, emphasising the need for infusing skill componenent in MNREGA
enacted for providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a
financial year to every household.
Singh
said, "If we want to stop distress migration from villages, we will have
to take such kind of steps."
Responding
to some states about about delay in release of funds, the Minister hinted that
in most cases, states were to blame more than the Centre as they did not follow
procedures like sending audit reports while seeking money from the central
government.
He
also indicated that unspent money from one state will be sent to another state,
which is in need of funds, because MNREGA is a demand-driven programme.
PTI