Date:23/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/23/stories/2008052352191002.htm

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Challenges to NREGA

The murder of Vikas Sahyog Kendra activist Lalit Kumar Mehta (“The real radicalism of NREGA,” May 22) poses a challenge to the effective implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, which has been extended to all districts. The violent opposition of the rural contractor raj should be thwarted with determination and all efforts made to make the employment scheme achieve its intended goal. The government should not allow bureaucrats to treat the scheme in the usual fashion, and should monitor its implementation in its true spirit.

Y. Jagannatham,

Vijayawada

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The planned physical elimination of Lalit Mehta by vested interests in Jharkhand shows there exist diabolic forces that are ready to interfere in every welfare programme. The implementation of social measures such as the NREGA depends on the consistent pressure exerted by the democratic forces that are responsible for their enactment in the first place. But much of the benefits are taken away by power-brokers and middlemen. This is true of almost all schemes including relief measures given after natural calamities. Whenever determined efforts are made by the needy to avail themselves of the benefits directly, the vested interests pounce on them and those who support them with a vengeance.

S.V. Venugopalan,

Chennai

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The NREGA is unique in many ways. But it is not enough to formulate such ideal schemes to alleviate rural poverty. The government should ensure that the gram panchayat is provided with the requisite infrastructure to implement the programme. The UPA, which is celebrating its fourth anniversary in power, should take corrective action before it is too late and the spirit of the NREGA is lost.

E. Sivasankaran,

Coimbatore

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The article exposes the ugly face of contractors. The country needs more people like Lalit Kumar Mehta to oversee the working of the NREGA. The government should get serious about cracking down on the vested interests which are against the Gandhian principle of developing rural India.

G. Parashuramrao,

Karimnagar