NREGA spending up 57% in Karnataka in FY14, says study

Even as the Central government is debating a new direction for the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, a recent study on NREGA spending in Karnataka gives some interesting insights, especially from the point of the differences between the assembly constituencies.

NREGA spending per MLA constituency has gone up 57 per cent in 2013-14 compared to two years ago. However, at an average of Rs 7.39 crore per MLA constituency in 2013-14, it is significantly lower than the Rs 12.95 crore in 2009-10, according to an analysis by India Governs Research Institute. The study was released on Tuesday.

There is a wide variation in expenditure of the top 10 and bottom 10 MLA constituencies. The average expenditure in 2013-14 in the top 10 MLA constituencies was Rs 20.99 crore as compared to the Rs 1.04 crore in the bottom 10. There is also a noticeable improvement in the average daily wage in the SC/ST reserved constituencies compared to the state average. In 2011-12, the average daily wage in the SC/ST reserved constituencies used to be significantly lower than the state average, the study said.

The percentage of households employed with respect to the total job cards issued has come down to 25 per cent. The average person-days of employment with respect to every household demanding employment per MLA constituency is less compared to the previous two years. The average daily wage paid out during 2013-14 for the work done in that year has also increased to Rs 135 per person-day.

The India Governs Research Institute has accessed data for over 5,000 gram panchayats from the government sources and analysed.

In 2013-14, 38 person-days of employment was provided on an average for every household that demanded work. The average number of person-days of employment is computed based on the total person-days of employment provided with respect to the total number of households that demanded employment. The state average person-days of employment were 42 in 2011-12, 45 in 2010-11 and 55 in 2009-10.

The total expenditure on MNREGA includes the money spent on wages, materials and administration. The state average funds spent per MLA constituency was Rs 4.74 crore in 2011-12, Rs 9.14 crore in 2010-11 and Rs 12.95 crore in the year 2009-10.

The study revealed that in 17 MLA constituencies, women were provided more days of employment than men. The state average for employment to women is 47 per cent in 2013-14, 46 per cent in 2011-12. This was 45 per cent in 2010-11 and 34 per cent in 2009-10.

In 2013-14, 106,592 households completed 100 days of employment of a total of about 1.7 million households that demanded employment. In 2011-12, only Kudligi (ST) constituency had no household with 100 days of employment. The state average of households completing 100 days of employment is 6 per cent in 2013-14, 3 per cent in 2011-12. This was 5 per cent in 2010-11 and 12 per cent in 2009-10.