2nd workshop mona nrega
TRANSCRIPT
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Presentation by Mona Meurer
(M.A. Gobal Political Economy, Kassel University)
ICDD Research Cluster 4.2. Work
Livelihood and Economic Security in the 21st century:India and South Africa compared
2nd Workshop, 3-4 December 2010, TISS, Mumbai
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural EmploymentGuarantee Scheme (NREGA) in India:
Looking at the worlds largest public works program and
its impact on the rural poor
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Theoretical considerations
Mona Meurer - 4 December 20102
What we could do:
RQ: Public Works Programs a way to decent work
and economic security?
evaluation of the scheme looking for its impact
on the rural poor
living in self-determination and working in dignity
How must NREGA be improved in order to make it
meet ist goal of economic security in rural India?
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Theoretical considerations
Mona Meurer - 4 December 20103
Or:
Public Works Programs the right way to decent
work and economic security?
what welfare paradigm? (role of the state,
understanding of work)
Welfare or workfare ???
The one who does not work shall not eat ???
direct (unconditional?) cash transfer or food for
work?
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NREGA theoretical considerationsaround our research project
Comparing Public Works Programs: a theoretical approach
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A theoretical approach to Public
Works Programs
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Typology ofdesign of PWP
Type A: PWPs offering a single short-term episode ofemployment
Type B: Large-scale government employment
programmes which may offer some form ofemployment guarantee NREGA
Type C: Programs promoting the labour intensification ofgovernment infrastructure spending
Type D: Programmes which enhance employability
(Anna McCord (2008): Recognising heterogenity. A proposedtypology for public works programs.)
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A theoretical approach to Public
Works Programs
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Typology ofobjectives of PWP
social protection, most frequently articulated aspoverty alleviation,
employment creation, skills development,
asset or service provision,
macroeconomic stimulation, and
political stabilisation
(Anna McCord (2008): Recognising heterogenity. A proposedtypology for public works programs.)
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NREGA in IndiaA critical assessment
Is the Mahatmi Ghandi National Rural EmploymentGuarantee Scheme (NREGA) a real step forward
towards decent work in rural India?
first findings and implications for further research
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NREGA in IndiaA critical assessment
Mona Meurer - 4 December 2010
1. NREGA: the act and the program
2. NREGA and decent work in rural India:
potentials and problems
3. Where do we go from here:
Implications for research in 2011
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1. NREGA: the act and the program
Objectives, Design, Implementation
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1. NREGA: Objectives
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The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act
(NREGA)
An Act to provide for the enhancement oflivelihood
security of the households in rural areas of thecountry by providing at least one hundred days of
guaranteed wage employment in every financial
yearto every household whose adult members
volunteer to do unskilled manual work (...).
(National Rural Employment Guarantee Act of 2005)
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1. NREGS: Design of the program
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The National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme(NREGS)
NREGS is inspired by and largely designed after theMaharashtra Employment Guarantee Scheme (MEGS) whichhas been in place for over thirty years now.
goal: to empower people to earn their living in safe anddignified working conditions
guarantee 100 days of work per year to every rural household
unemployment grant must be paid if no work can be found
only one member of each household can participate.
participants must possess a job card Payment for Jobs under NREGS must happen within 15 days,
calculated from the first day of work. Wages are not equal allover India but vary a lot.
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1. Introduction: Reach and Impact
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an extensive program
The employment scheme is now present in all 28 statesand all 604 districts of India.
This makes it the largest public works program in theworld.
but not yet an intensive program
In none of the 28 states does NREGA meet thedemand for work. The rural labour surplus is so farnot absorbed completely by the program.
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2. NREGA & Decent Work in rural India
What is NREGAs role in the progessive
realization of decent work in India?
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The Decent Work concept by the ILO
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The concept of decent work originated in theInternational Labor Organisation (ILO) and
contains four main elements:
fundamental principles and rights at work and
international labour standards;
employment and income opportunities;
social protection and social security;
social dialogue and tripartism.
ILO (2010)
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2. NREGA and Decent Work
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Focus on three decent work indicators:
1. Social protection2. Employment opportunity & Minimum wage
3. Social Dialogue
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2. NREGA and Decent Work: Potentials
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Social protection
Millions have been lifted out of the worst forms of
poverty
Study by Jean Dreze (2010): 69 % of the
respondents felt that the NREGA had helped
them to avoid hunger
Danger of too low wages constraining the poverty
reduction effect of the scheme constant debate around the wage level
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2. NREGA and Decent Work
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Employment opportunity best practice: Rajastan (77 days of work provided per
year in average)
bad practice districts: Jarkhand, Bihar (22-45 days ofwork provided in average)
Migration to urban areas has decreased as work now isavailable in rural areas, especially in the agricultural leansession
In some places the quality of work is pushed upwards
into the direction of decent work, as many NREGSworkers claim the scheme has helped them avoid lessdignified work. Private employers are under pressureto provide better working conditions.
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2. NREGA and Decent Work
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Minimum wage
(T)he NREGA is bringing about radical change. For
instance, wages today are much closer to the minimum
wage and the minimum wage itself has risen sharply. qualitative upgrading effect in working conditions in the
private sector, for example, in terms of hours of work
and productivity norms
(Dreze/ Khera 2008:10)
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NREGA: impact on wage levelComparison of rural wages in non-agricultural labor (2008)
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2. NREGA and Decent Work
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Social Dialogue
NREGS as an alternative job opportunity has a
positive effect on labors bargaining powerand
thus on wages in non-NREGS sectors.
Also working conditions come under an upward
pressure as workers now have an alternative.
Exploitation at the work place happens often In
places where contractors (labour brokers) areinvolved
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2. NREGA and Decent Work: Conclusion
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The countermovement from above (NREGA)must combine with the countermovement from
below (civil society)
But one should not expect NREGA to deal with
problems it is not designed to solve, e. g. lack of
education and health, malnutrition or the global
trade system.
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Implications for research in 2011
Where do we go from here
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3. Implications for research in 2011
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Recommendations:
Enhanced literature review
comparison of existing studies
Evaluation of research approaches so far
In-depth interviews with experts
NREGA Planning Commission
critics (journalists, politicians)
Global Ethnography: research on the ground impressions from NREGA-workers as an add-on for
the final manuscript presenting the study
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Other Research Issues connected to
NREGA
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What is NREGAs performance in other decent workindicators such as social dialogue and tripartism orinternational labour standards?
Does NREGA improve the livelihood of the peoplereceiving employment under NREGA? To what extendand why?
Does NREGA provide economic security in ruralIndia? For whom and to what extend? Does it enablepeople to live free from fear of loosing their income?
To which extend is NREGA integrated into theeconomic growth and development strategies ofthe Indian government?
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Other Research Issues connected to
NREGA
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The role of the decent work concept in the design ofNREGA
The political economy of NREGA
Political forces involved and role of recent political
developments The role ofSocial Audit
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Sources
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Sources
Mona Meurer - 4 December 2010
Dey, Subhasish (2010): Evaluating Indias NREGS: The Case ofBirbhumDistrict, West Bengal, ISS Working Paper No 490.
Dreze, Jean/ Khera, Reetika (2009): The battle for employment guarantee,
Frontline, Volume 26 (1), January 2009.
Gaiha, Raghav (1996): Wages, Participation and Targeting the Case of
the Employment Guarantee Scheme in India, Journal of International
Development, Vol. 8, No. 6, pp. 785803.
Government of India, Ministry of Rural Development: The Mahatma Gandhi
National Rural Employment act 2005, in:
http://www.nrega.nic.in/netnrega/home.aspx, accessed on June 27 2010.
ILO (2010): Decent Work for all, in:
http://www.ilo.org/global/About_the_ILO/Mainpillars/WhatisDecentWork/lang--en/index.htm, accessed on July 25 2010.
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Sources
Mona Meurer - 4 December 2010
International Labour Organization: Informal jobs account for 93% of India'sworkforce, in: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/Informal-jobs-account-for-93-of-Indias-workforce-ILO-/articleshow/5116107.cms, article from 12 october 2009, accessed on 07november 2009
Jha, Raghbendra/ Gaiha, Raghav/ Shankar, Shylashri (2008): National RuralEmployment Guarantee Programme in India a review, ASARC WorkingPaper 2008/1.
Amir Ullah Khan/ M R Saluja (undated): Impact of the NREGA on RuralLivelihoods, India Development Foundation, Delhi, India.
Khera, Reetika/ Nayak, Nandini (2009): Women Workers and Perceptions ofthe National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, EPW October 24, 2009, pp.49-57.
Mathur, Lalit (2007): Employment Guarantee: Progress so far, EPW December
29, 2007.Anna McCord (2008): Recognising Heterogeneity: A Proposed Typology for
Public Works Programmes, Southern Africa Labour and DevelopmentResearch Unit working Paper Series No 26.
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Sources
Mona Meurer - 4 December 2010
Mehrotra, Santosh (2008): NREG Two Years On: Where Do We GoFrom Here?, EPW August 2, 2008.
Nair, K. N. /Sreedharan, T. P./ Anoopkumar, M. (2009):A study of
national rural employment guarantee programme in three Grama
Panchayats of Kasaragod District, CDS Working Paper No 413. August
2009.
Narayanan, Sudha (2008): Employment Guarantee, Womens Work and
Childcare, EPW March 1, 2008, pp. 10-13
Ravi, Shamika / Engler, Monika (undated): Workfare in Low Income
Countries: An Effective Way to Fight Poverty? The Case of NREGS in
India.
Shah, Amita/ Kapur Mehta, Aasha (2008): Experience of the
Maharashtra Employment Guarantee Scheme: Are there lessons for
NREGS?, CPRC-IIPA Working Paper.
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