NREGA benefited over 4 cr households: Prez

More than 4 crore (40 million) households in rural areas have benefited from the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act during current fiscal with more than half being from the marginalised sections, President Pratibha Patil said on Monday.

Patil in her address to both Houses of Parliament said higher public spending on programmes of rural development has successfully raised incomes in those areas.

"My government is committed to give the aam aadmi maximum access to gas and petroleum products. A new scheme of rural LPG distribution 'Rajiv Gandhi Gramin LPG Vitarak Yojana' has been launched," she said.

An amendment in the national rural employment guarantee scheme was made to allow water conservation works in the fields of small and marginal farmers as well, Patil said.

"During 2009-10, so far, 4.33 crore (43.3 million) households have been provided employment and 203 crore person-days were generated. This scheme has benefited the marginalised sections, with the participation rate of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes being about 52 per cent. Participation of women has also been encouraging at around 49 per cent. The scheme has also resulted in an upward revision of rural wages," she said.

The President said in the current fiscal till December 2009, 14 lakh (1.4 million) houses have been constructed under the rural housing component.

"Under the rural roads component, up to November 2009, connectivity has been provided to about 34,000 villages through construction of 96,000 kilometres of roads.

"Under the rural water supply component, of the remaining 627 uncovered habitations, 586 have been taken up in 2009-10," she said.

Patil said of the 1.79 lakh quality-affected habitations, about 35,000 have been taken up in 2009-10.

"Under the irrigation component, which began in 2005-06, creation of irrigation potential of one crore hectares is targeted by 2011-12. As on December 31, 2009, coverage of more than 70 lakh (7 million) hectares has been achieved," she said.

"The Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana has resulted in the electrification of more than 67,000 villages. Free electricity connections have been provided to about 84 lakh (8.4 million) below poverty line households. Steps have been initiated to achieve rural tele-density of 40 per cent by 2014," the President said in her address.