Women's share of MGNREGA jobs in Bengal not proportionate to state average

Kolkata, Oct 17 The share of women in 100 days jobs under the Mahatma Gandhi National Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme, has not been proportionate with the state average on this count in the last financial year (2021-22).

As per statistics provided by the state government to the Union government on an average, the state average on this count is 47.98 days during the financial year under review. However, in the case of women, the figure on the same count had been 33.28 days.

However, there is a rosy picture in that the disproportionate share of women, compared to that of the state average, has improved in 2021-22 than what it was in the previous years.

In 2020-21, while the state average was 51.98 days, the share of women on the same count was 35.53 days and from that point of view, the state government has been able to improve the women participation on this count to a great extent.

As per the pan-India figures, the national average of women participation in MGNREGA jobs, as per the records of the Union Rural Development Ministry, during the last few financial years, have hovered more or less around 54 per cent without much fluctuation. In 2021-22, it was 54.54 per cent as compared to 53.19 per cent in 2020-21 and 54.78 per cent in 2019-20.

Schedule II of MGNREGA mandates that priority shall be given to women in such a way that at least one-third of the beneficiaries shall be women who have registered and requested for work and efforts to increase participation of single women and the disabled shall be made