In the first paragraph of the article, we discuss the pressing issue of unemployment in India and highlight the significance of Urban Employment Guarantee Schemes. It has been brought to attention recently due to the launch of a flagship scheme for Urban Employment, the Indira Gandhi Shehari Rojgar Yojana, by the government of Rajasthan.
About the Indira Gandhi Shehari Rojgar Yojana
The Indira Gandhi Shehari Rojgar Yojana is aimed at providing employment for 100 days to families residing in urban areas, modeled along the lines of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA). To execute this plan, the government has earmarked Rs 800 crore. Individuals from the age of 18 to 60 years can avail of the benefits of this scheme.
One noteworthy aspect of the scheme is the emphasis on water conservation. Renovation work at Khaniyon ki Baori falls under water conservation work within the scheme. Collaborations offer additional employment opportunities through state or central schemes which already have a material component and necessitate manual labor.
Other employment options include activities related to environmental conservation, maintenance of parks, clean-up operations and sanitation-related work like solid waste management, heritage conservation, and duties associated with security, fencing, boundary walls, and safeguarding of urban civic bodies and public lands.
Urban Employment Guarantee Schemes in Other States
Numerous other states also have Urban Employment Guarantee Schemes. For instance, Kerala’s Ayyankali Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme (AUEGS), launched in 2010, Himachal Pradesh’s Mukhya Mantri Shahri Ajeevika Guarantee Yojna unveiled in 2020, and Jharkhand’s Mukhyamantri Shramik Yojana initiated in 2020. Each of these state schemes aims to enhance livelihood security by providing guaranteed wage employment.
The Necessity of Urban Employment Guarantee Schemes in India
In India, although there have been urban employment schemes, none have ensured guaranteed employment. Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY), launched in 1997 and replaced by the National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) in 2013, provided employment to urban poor but did not guarantee employment.
Unemployment rates in city areas are typically higher, as indicated by indicators from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) or the Periodic Labour Force Survey. For instance, as of August 2022, the unemployment rate in urban India was 9.57% in contrast to rural areas where it stood at 7.68%.
Moreover, approximately 398.6 million people out of India’s total labour force of 535 million have inferior quality jobs, according to the International Labour Organization. The precariousness and vulnerability of these low-quality jobs were accentuated during lockdown periods.
Government schemes that exist, whether initiated by the Union government or state administrations, predominantly target rural unemployment and poverty. An example being the Prime Minister Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan, initiated in 2020 to boost employment and livelihood opportunities for migrant workers returning to villages due to the Covid epidemic.
The Viability of UEG Scheme as an Extension of MGNREGA
Next, the article discusses if UEG schemes can be seen as an extension of MGNREGA. Although most UEGs in India seem to be a continuation of MGNREGA in urban areas, they cannot be mere extensions due to various reasons such as seasonal disparity in rural and urban unemployment, capability of Panchayati Raj Institutions in rural and urban areas, and the distinct nature of public works in urban and rural economies.
Looking Ahead
Interventions by the States through UEG Schemes are a positive stride towards ensuring the right to work for urban residents and hence realizing the right to life guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution. Initiatives like the Smart Cities Mission and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) have been majorly focusing on the development of bigger towns and cities. It’s time to shift focus towards enhancing livelihoods and ecology of urban areas beyond India’s major cities. An urban employment guarantee programme not only paves way for ameliorating workers’ incomes but also has ripple effects on the economy. It can stimulate local demand in small towns, enhance public infrastructure and services, encourage entrepreneurship, build skills of workers, and engender a shared sense of public goods.