National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (NREGA) has been in operation for over two years and is being implemented in half the districts of this country. NREGA is one of the flagship poverty alleviation programmes of the UPA Government and has been taken very well across the country.

It is very well known by now that almost all the selected districts where NREGA has been implemented have not been able to utilize the financial allotment made for the purpose. A regional variation in terms of utilization of allotted amount has been observed as some states have availed of larger amounts compared to many others. The reason for non-realization of this objective is said to be the availability of work at higher wages in the private sectors than the one provided under NREGA, resulting in less utilization of the allotted funds. This explanation may be acceptable for the relatively developed states, but definitely not for states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh or West Bengal which are not so developed.

Since no state has been able to provide hundred days of employment, there is definitely a need to take the required corrective measures to achieve the aims of the scheme. With states unable to realize even 100 days of employment, the drain on Government resources is not going to be something beyond its reach, more so when more work at higher wages are likely to be available in the private sector in times to come. One of the objectives of the scheme is not only to provide guaranteed employment in the rural areas to discourage rural-urban migration, but also to create gainful assets in the countryside, it is also to create gainful assets in the countryside, it is advisable for the Government to keep revising the minimum wages from time to time to reflect the market wages else people would not feel encouraged to say back in the villages to work for NREGA schemes thereby reducing the opportunities to create basic amenities and civil assets in the rural areas.

During rainy season and other such busy seasons which may vary from state to state, people get higher wages in the rural areas itself thereby leaving very few volunteers for wage employment works in the countryside thereby resulting in less utilization of the NREGA money. Less utilization may also mean that there is less demand for such work in that particular area, which should actually be seen as a development indicator as that means people are getting work al higher wages elsewhere.

It has been observed that people are still not aware of the fact that they can demand work under NREGA as a matter of their right. Most of them are still not aware of their right to demand unemployment allowance as a result of implementing agency's failure to provide the work within the statutory fifteen days of the receipt of petition demanding such a wage employment. It has been found that by means of fake cards, the vested interests have ensured siphoning of Government money going in wrong hands for personal purpose. If NREGA has to be successful in realizing its programme objectives, then these concerns and problems, as mentioned above, need to be addressed.