Need to strengthen MGNREGA to empower poor: Birender Singh 12/11/2014

Need to strengthen MGNREGA to empower poor: Birender Singh
12/11/2014 11:50
According to the Union Minister for Rural Development, Birender Singh, there is a need to strengthen Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Act (MGNREGA) as the rural job scheme has led to empowerment of poor people in the villages. On assuming his ministerial charge, Singh said, "There were people in remote villages who had not seen the currency note of Rs 500. Thanks to MGNREGA, they have seen it. There will be no changes in the job scheme that would hurt the poor." The statement comes in the wake of unease among civil society members over a proposal to limit the MGNREGA to 200 backward districts. He, however, acknowledged that there were some problems in implementation of the ambitious scheme, launched by the UPA government and the present dispensation will "correct" them. "So far, the working of MNREGA is concerned, if there are lacunae, we will correct them," Singh said. Launched in 2005, MNREGA has been an important source of income for millions of rural households