Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojana (JGSY)

- Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojana (JGSY) was launched w.e.f. 1st April, 1999 to ensure development of rural infrastructure at the village level by restructuring the erstwhile Jawahar Rojgar Yojana (JRY).
- The Primary objective of JGSY was creation of demand driven community village infrastructure including durable assets at the village level and assets to enable the rural poor to increase the opportunities for sustained employment.
- The Secondary objective was generation of wage employment for the unemployed poor in the rural areas.
- Main features of JGSY were as follows:
1. Main emphasis on creation of rural infrastructure at the village level.
2. Implementation of the scheme entirely by village panchayats.
3. Empowerment to Gram Sabha for approval of Schemes/works.
4. 22,5% of JGSY funds for individual beneficiary schemes for SCs/STs.
5. 3% of annual allocation for creation barrier free infrastructure for the disabled.
6. DRDA/Zila Parishad is responsible for overall guidance, coordination, supervision, monitoring and periodical reporting.
Intensified Jawahar Rozgar Yojana (The Second Stream of JRY)
- From 1993-94, the Intensified Jawahar Rozgar Yojana is being implemented in those 120 backward districts of 12 states of the country which are badly affected with unemployment and under-unemployment problems. These states are Andhra
Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Kamataka,Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Since January 1, 1996 this plan was merged with Employment Assurance Scheme (EAS). The main points of this plan were as given on nextpage -
1. Under this programme, those works are given priority which provide ample employment opportunities, like creating small irrigation facility on barren lands, forestry etc.
2. This plan also includes various activities which create rural infrastructure including primary education institutions.
Innovative and Special Employment Scheme (The Third Stream of JRY)
- The third stream of Jawahar Rozgar Yojana which is known as the Innovative and Special Employment Scheme is being implemented since the year 1993-94.
- In this scheme, special and modem projects are included whose objective is to stop the migration of labour, to encourage the female employment and to develop the productivity in the desert areas.
- Following are some of the main points of this scheme-
1. Under this plan, the schemes like Operation Black Board were also given place which fulfil the main objectives of Jawahar Rozgar Yojana. The construction of the school building and of class rooms has been given priority. Operation Black Board scheme was started in 1987.
2. All the projects coming under the third stream are given acceptance by a Screening Committee which is constituted under the chairmanship of the Secretaries of Rural Employment and Poverty Eradicating Departments of the Central Government.
Employment Assurance Scheme (EAS)
- The Employment Assurance Scheme was started from 2nd October, 1993 in 1,778 development blocks in the rural areas of 261 districts.
- During 1994-95. this scheme was also implemented in 697 development blocks of Drought-Prone Area Programme (DPAP) and Desert Development Programme (DDP).
- In this way, by December 31. 1995, this programme had been extended to 2,475 development blocks of the country. On January 1, 1996 after merging the second stream of Jawahar Rozgar Yojana (Intensified JRY) in Employment Assurance Scheme, it became operative in 3206 blocks of the country. During 1997-98. this plan was extended to 1123 new blocks and it covered all 5448 rural blocks of the country.
- The main points of this scheme were as under:
1. The main objective of this scheme was to provide profitable employment of not less than 100 days to every desirous villager of ages between 18 years and 60 years during the lean agricultural season. The secondary objective of the scheme was to create economic infrastructure and community projects for creating sufficient employment and development activities.
2. This programme was reorganised from April I, 1999 and it was made the single wage employment programme and implemented as a centrally sponsored scheme on a cost sharing ratio of 75 : 25. (Earlier this ratio was 80 : 20 for the centre and state governments). The Central assisce tance was provided directly to the District Rural Development Agency
or to Zila Parishad.
3. EAS was a Demand Driven pogramme. That is why, under it no physical target was prescribed.