The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act aims at enhancing the livelihood security of people in rural areas by guaranteeing hundred days of wage-employment in a financial year to a rural household, whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.

MNREGA fosters conditions for inclusive growth, ranging from basic wage security and recharging rural economy to a transformative empowerment process of democracy. It provides a strong social safety net for the vulnerable groups by providing a fall-back employment source, when other employment alternatives are scarce or inadequate.

The Schemes so formulated are called the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), followed by the name of the State.

Process of Application/Registration:

• How to apply for Registration?
  Applications should be given in writing and should include the registration number of the Job Card, date from which employment is required & the number of days of employment required. It should contain the names of those adult members of the household who are willing to do unskilled manual work, and particulars such as age, sex and SC/ST status.
• Where to apply?
  Applications for work should generally be submitted to the Gram Panchayat. An individual may appear personally and make an oral request for registration.
• What are the timings?
  The application for registration may be given on plain paper to the local Gram Panchayat authority on any working day between 10 AM and 5 PM. To allow maximum opportunities to families that may migrate, registration is open throughout the year at the Gram Panchayat office during working hours.

• Who are the target audience?
  Rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
• What are the benefits?
  The scheme ensures guaranteed employment for people in rural areas for hundred days in a financial year.

Verification of applications will be based upon local residence in the Gram Panchayat concerned, the household as an entity, and the fact that applicants are adult members of the household. After verification, the Gram Panchayat will enter all particulars in the Registrations Register in the Gram Panchayat. Every registered household will be assigned a unique registration number.

Job Cards:

• The Gram Panchayat will issue Job Cards to every registered household. This is a critical legal document, which also helps to ensure transparency and protect against fraud.
• The Job Card is issued immediately after verification, i.e. within a fortnight of the application for registration.
• Photographs of adult members who are applicants have to be attached to the job cards.
• The State Government in a particular area may order the photograph to be affixed later (but not later than a month) if the immediate provision of a photograph is not possible. No photograph, name or details of any person other than that of the registered adult members of the household to whom that job card belongs shall be affixed or recorded in the Job Cards.
• The cost of the Job Cards, including that of the photographs, will be borne as part of the programme cost.
• The Job Card will be in the custody of the household to whom it is issued.

Changes to Job Card:

The Job Card shall be valid for a period of five years and will have provision for the addition/deletion of members eligible to work. Deletions in any household on account of demise, or permanent change of residence of a member, are to be reported immediately by the household concerned. Additions desired may be applied for by the household.

Duplicate Job Card:

A cardholder may apply for a duplicate Job Card if the original card is lost or damaged.

The application is to be submitted to the Gram Panchayat and shall be processed in the manner of a new application; with the difference being that the particulars may also be verified using the duplicate copy of the Job Card maintained by the Panchayat.

Grievances:

If a person has a grievance against the non-issuance of a Job Card, he/she may bring the matter to the notice of the Programme Officer. If the grievance is against the Programme Officer, he/she may bring it to the notice of the District Programme Coordinator or the designated grievance-redressal authority at the Block or District level.

All such complaints shall be disposed off within 15 days.