Project Unnati

Facing less than a lukewarm response to project Unnati, the Union Rural Development Ministry wants to link performances of the States under the project with its labour budget for the upcoming financial year 2023-24.

Poor Performance: The performance so far has been far below this 20% target.

• In the 2020-21 financial year for example, 71 lakh households worked for 100 days in the country under the MGNREGS but only 8,658 persons received training under the Unnati project.
• Similarly, in 2021-2022, the number of eligible households stood at 59 lakh, but only 12,577 persons were trained.
• The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic that coincided with the launch of the project is also blamed for its tardy implementation.

About Project 'UNNATI': Launched in 2020, it aims to upgrade the skill base of the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA beneficiaries, and thereby improving their livelihoods. It also aims to reduce their dependence on Mahatma Gandhi NREGS.

Impact

• Improving the Livelihoods: It has helped improving the livelihoods of the neediest Mahatma Gandhi NREGA beneficiaries by providing a skill, either for self-employment or wage employment.
• Self-reliance and Sustainable Development: The whole purpose of the project is to connect the rural people to various available livelihood opportunities and lead them to self-reliance and sustainable development.