Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Programme (RLEGP)

- The Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Programme was started in the rural areas on 15th August, 1983, with the objective of creating employment, constructing the productive projects and improving the rural life, but the guarantee part of this programme could however not be implemented due to the lack of resources.
- The total expenditule of this programme is financed by the Central Government.
- The resources are allotted to the State/Union Territories on the basis of determined standards, in which 50% weightage is given to the cultivators and marginal farmers on the basis of their number and the remaining 50% weightage is given on the basis of poverty.
- Under this programme, the wages of the labourers are given according to the Minimum Wages Act.
- Some part of the wages is given in the form of foodgrains on reduced prices.
- A condition was made in the programme that the labour cost amount of any project should not be less than 50%
of the total expenditure.
- Under this programme. contractors were not permitted. Out of the total amount of expenditure 10% had been planned
for schedule castes/tribes.
- Under this programme, the funds for Social Forestry, Indira Awas Yojana and Million Wells Scheme were also allocated.