Gender issues

Government officials claimed that they had done wide publicity and put up notices, used loudspeakers and drum-beaters, etc., this appears to have only been done in the main village or “oor” and left out the Dalit hamlets or “colony” in Tamil Nadu. In fact, a few officials too admitted off the record that sometimes the meetings were never held and only quorum sheets signed.

1. 
   The majority were clueless of their entitlements, except that 100 days of work will be provided. The general feeling amongst the workers was that the procedures of the NFFWP and SGRY would continue, with the difference that now families would receive 100 days of work. Workers did not know that they could themselves define their household as nuclear, minimum wages were mandatory, minimal worksite facilities (child care, shade, drinking water and first aid) were to be provided, work was to be preferably provided within 5 kilometers, unemployment allowance was to be paid, etc.
   
2. 
   Payment of minimum wages: most state governments and officials at all levels seem to feel that productivity norms dictate wages whereas the NREGA is quite clear that productivity norms should be set to ensure minimum wage payment.
   
3. 
   The process of registration and verification is very simple under the NOG and NREGA. It only requires verification of local residence, attainment of adulthood and being a nuclear household (including single member households). This is to be done by the gram sabha and PRIs. However, in most places some documentary proof or the other (Voter ID, Ration Card, Census List, etc.) was required.
   
4. 
   The most baffling issue for workers, officials and panchayat functionaries alike was the definition of household and the coverage of the elderly. While in many places the elderly were deliberately not included in job cards, in other places entire joint families (on the basis of common kitchen) were registered as a household unit.
   
5. 
   Workers are unaware about the mechanics of the Scheme or that availing the guarantee involves three steps after registration and receipt of job card:
   
   1. 
      Application for at least 15 days of continuous work on prescribed format;
      
   2. 
      Obtaining a dated receipt for the same;
      
   3. 
      Application for unemployment allowance if work is not provided within the stipulated 15 days;
      

6. 
   Respondents sometimes did not know that works were to be selected and prioritised by gram sabhas, and that contractors were banned and machines discouraged under the Scheme.
   

This is essentially a case of oversight or administrative laziness – most officials were either unaware of the provision in the Guidelines or simply continued with the existing lists due to the force of habit. Contradictions within state Schemes also have a role to play. Both Orissa and Tamil Nadu have defined households as nuclear in accordance with the NOG, but have undermined this by instructing PRIs and POs to use pre existing lists drawn-up on the basis of common kitchen for verification. This has rather serious implications in terms of entitlements. For example, in the case of a joint family with 4 adults, the common kitchen definition reduces entitlements by one-half, to 25 days per person instead of 50 days per person. This makes a dramatic difference to the livelihood security of these households. Several respondents lived as joint families and have 6-10 members registered in the same job card. This effectively reduces their entitlement since smaller households will get more wore work per capita. This is patently unfair and heavily pitted against joint families. It is also not in accordance with the NOG as well as several state schemes, which provides that “1.3. ‘Household’ will mean a nuclear family comprising mother, father, and their children, and may include any person wholly or substantially dependent on the head of the family. Household will also mean a single-member family.”