New Delhi, February 07: Out of 86458 households who demanded employment in Manipur under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), 64458 households were provided employment during the current year 2007-08 till the end of December 2007 .

Sources from the Ministry of Rural Development said that all 20024 households who demanded employment in Tamenglong District and 44434 households in Churachandpur District were provided employment during the period.

No employment had been given to 22000 households who demanded employment in respect of Chandel District.

Out of the sum of Rs 2553.06 lakhs available under the programme for Manipur, a sum of Rs.2078.48 lakh was spent during the period.

Funds made available for implementation of the programme in respect of Tamenglong District, Churachandpur District and Chandel District were Rs, 652.87 lakhs, Rs.1765.68 lakhs and Rs.134.51 lakhs and the expenditures were Rs.498.13 lakhs, 1262.77 lakhs and Rs.317.58 lakhs respectively.

Total works under the programme were 1232 in Manipur.

Out of it, two works were completed and 1230 works in progress.

In Churachandpur district, 839 works were in progress; and in Tamenglong district, 391 works were in progress and two works completed.

During the period, 15.34 lakhs person days in Manipur were generated.

The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 commenced on the 2nd February 2006 in 200 districts, extended to 130 more districts from the 1st April 2007 and will be extended to remaining districts of the country with effect from the 1st April 2008 .

The NREGA guarantees 100 days of employment in a financial year to any rural household whose adult members are will to do unskilled manual work.

The Act is a "Peoples Act" in a sense.

It was prepared through a wide range of consultation with people's organizations.

Second, the Act addresses itself chiefly to working people and their fundamental right to life with dignity.

Third, the Act empowers ordinary people to play an active role in the implementation of employment guarantee schemes through Gram Sabhas, social audits, participatory planning and other means.

More than any other law, NREGA is an Act of the people, by the people and for the people, it added.

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