Is Modi trying to dismantle MGNREGS by setting an overtly high asset target?

The Narendra Modi government has decided, and is all set to achieve, the targets for the next two years regarding the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Generation Scheme (MGNREGS). Reportedly, these targets are bigger than what the scheme has accomplished in the last 10 years.

As per the plans, the rural development ministry would be adding 1 million farm ponds and wells and another million vermi composting farms under the programme. This figure is almost equal to the total such assets the scheme has as of now, created in the past decade by the UPA government. The coming budget would help sharpening focus on rural sector schemes in a big way.

Out of the Rs 75,000 crore that was allocated, the rural development ministry has utilised more than 90% in the past 10 years. This budget is now expected to be doubled this year, because of the expansion of development schemes, including the rural jobs programme.

"NREGS has a crucial role to play now since we are converging it with all our other schemes. Having utilised most of our funds, we need to continue to create more assets and multiple opportunities for livelihood for the rural poor," a senior rural development ministry official told ET.

By creating farm ponds and dug wells, the government aims to make NREGS a green scheme, and greater push would be given to agriculture and irrigation-related activities.

The government wants to achieve breakthroughs in assured irrigation in areas where rain decides the fate of the crop as well as the areas where ground water is available.

Along with state agricultural departments, the rural development and agriculture ministries have coordinated so that NREGS can be used to boost multitier cropping and generate livelihood through farming. The animal husbandry department is also collaborating on NREGS so that poultry and goat sheds can be constructed in villages.

The government is also making sure that the workers get their payments on time, as delayed payments have been slashed by 72% and it is further aimed to be brought down to single digits by June this year.

However, PM Modi has not always been a fan of the scheme, having called it an example of six decades of failure by the Congress. One could think that these targets are just a smart way of the Modi government to dismantle the MGNREGS scheme altogether.