Job scheme will be effective in five yrs

The Left parties and the government today reached an understanding over the National Rural Employment Guarantee Bill after the two sides held a series of meetings through the day to thrash out differences.

The Bill, which is to be taken up for consideration and passing in the Lok Sabha tomorrow, is now likely to have amendments stipulating that the minimum wages would not be less than Rs 60; that women will be given priority to the extent of one third the total number of applicants and that the government will implement the scheme in the entire country within a period of five years.

The act will also state that funds transferable from the Central Government to the states will take place every quarter and that the Central Government will be asked to compensate fully for delay in implementation due to late transfer of funds from the Centre to the states.

The final understanding on the Bill indicates that both the Left and the government have climbed down from their respective positions. The Government in agreeing to set the minimum wage at not less than Rs 60 has gone well beyond the recommendation of the standing committee on the bill, which stipulated the minimum wage at Rs 49.

While the government had initially agreed to implement the scheme within a period of five years in the entire country, the amended bill circulated in the Lok Sabha today did not contain this clause at all.

This raised more than a few eyebrows amongst Left MPs who finally got the government to set a 'time-frame' in the bill to be taken up for consideration and passing on Thursday morning.

The Left for its part has agreed that instead of guaranteeing one third reservation for women, the bill could mere stipulate that women will be given preference to the extent of 33 per cent.

Also the state will bear 10 per cent of the expense of the scheme and pay out an unemployment dole to those who are not give work within 15 days of registering themselves.

The Bill will be taken up for debate in the lower house on Tuesday, with the opposition Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) agreeing to move only those amendments that the standing committee recommended.

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Consensus

• Minimum wages will not be less than Rs 60 and women women will be accorded priority
• Fund transfer from the Centre to the states will take place every quarter
• Centre to compensate for delay in implementation due to late transfer of funds
• State governments will bear 10% of expense s and pay dole to those who don't get work