From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Nov 28: Karnataka’s Raichur district will be among the six districts across the country, which will get special focus from the Union Rural Development Ministry, for implementing its ''Kaam Maango Abhiyan” (ask for work campaign) under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Act (MGNREGA).

The six districts are:  Sitapur (Uttar Pradesh), Nashik (Maharashtra), Katihar (Bihar), West Singbhbum (Jharkhand), Sundergarh (Orissa) and Raichur (Karnataka), according to a Press Information Bureau press release.

Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh has already written to the chief ministers of all the six States to use the opportunity to motivate all stakeholders in realizing the benefits conferred under the Act and create good models that can benefit large number of poor households.
 
The minister has urged the States to proactively register demand in select districts of the country.

He has also urged Chief Ministers to personally lead this effort and extend it to all districts of these states.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has already flagged off the abhiyan recently in Chaibasa district with several MGNREGA workers and civil society representatives present.

The Ministry recognises that the decline in people demanding work under MGNREGA is not because of a lack of demand but because of a failure to capture demand effectively.

This campaign, therefore, seeks to increase awareness around the entitlements of MGNREGA and increase participation in the programme by fulfilling the guarantee of employed against demand.

The minister said the implementation of the scheme in the six select districts will present a model for the launch of a nationwide campaign on February 2, 2014, which is being celebrated all over the country as ''MGNREGA Day.”

The abhiyan will be a collaborative effort with district, state and central government, NREGA workers and civil society organizations

In this duration, attempt will be made to reach out to every ward/habitation and give people an opportunity to register their demand for NREGA work.

Multiple modes to capture demand will be utilised.

It will involve training of officials, mass awareness drives via padyatras and institutionalizing monthly ''Rozgar Diwas” in every panchayat as an opportunity for people to register their demand and grievances.

Demand will be anticipated and capacity will be built for increased responsiveness of the administration.

Through this campaign, the Ministry of Rural Development invites the active support and facilitation of all sections of society including civil society organisations, district administration, state administration, students, media, academics and most importantly NREGA workers, the press release said.

The Ministry will be monitoring figures of demand as reflected on the official MGNREGA website.