Rajasthan Minimum Guaranteed Income Act, 2023

22 Jul 2023 Rajasthan Minimum Guaranteed Income Act, 2023

This article covers “Daily Current Affairs” and the topic details “Rajasthan Minimum Guaranteed Income Bill, 2023”. The topic “Rajasthan Minimum Guaranteed Income Bill, 2023” has relevance in the “Governance” section of the UPSC CSE exam.

For Prelims:

What is Rajasthan Minimum Guaranteed Income Act, 2023?

For Mains:

GS2: Governance and Social Justice 

Why in the news?

Recently, the Rajasthan state government has passed the Rajasthan Minimum Guaranteed Income Act, 2023, aiming to provide guaranteed wages or pensions to all adults in the state.

Rajasthan Minimum Guaranteed Income Act, 2023: 

• The bill intends to provide all families in the state with guaranteed employment for 125 days every year. 
• Additionally, the aged, disabled, widows, and single women will receive a minimum pension of Rs 1,000 per month. Importantly, the pension will be increased at the rate of 15 percent each year.
• The Bill comprises three broad categories: the right to minimum guaranteed income, the right to guaranteed employment, and the right to guaranteed social security pension.

Major Provisions: 

• Minimum guaranteed income: 

1. 1. The Indira Gandhi Shahri Rozgar Guarantee Yojana for urban areas and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) for rural areas, implemented by the Rajasthan government, guarantee a minimum income for 125 days per year to every adult citizen of the state.
   2. In an effort to enhance the employment guarantee, the Rajasthan Government has raised the number of guaranteed employment days for each family from 100 days to 125 days in its urban employment scheme. 
   3. In addition, the state will provide 25 more days of employment in rural areas, further supplementing the MGNREGA’s 100 days of employment.
   4. Furthermore, the government will provide a minimum pension of Rs 1,000 to eligible individuals falling within specified categories.

• Guaranteed employment: 

1. 1. The right to employment dictates that after completing work in urban or rural employment schemes, the minimum wages should be paid either “weekly or, in any case, no later than a fortnight.”
   2. To implement the Act, the state will assign a program officer, who must hold a position not below that of a Block Development Officer in rural areas and an Executive Officer of the local body in urban areas.
   3. One of the responsibilities of the Program Officer is to ensure that the work site is located within a five-kilometer radius of where the job card is registered, whether in rural or urban areas.
   4. If the Program Officer fails to provide employment within 15 days of receiving the application, the applicant shall be entitled to receive an unemployment allowance on a weekly basis, and at the latest, within a fortnight.

• Guaranteed social security pension: 

1. 1. Every individual who belongs to the categories of old age, specially-abled, widow, or single woman and meets the specified eligibility criteria will be eligible for a pension. 
   2. This pension will be increased in two instalments each financial year, beginning in 2024-2025, with a 5 percent increment in July and a further 10 percent increment in January.

Significance:

• The Rajasthan Minimum Guaranteed Income Act, 2023, holds significant importance as it aims to provide comprehensive financial security to the entire adult population of the state. 
• By guaranteeing employment for 125 days annually, offering a minimum pension to vulnerable groups, and increasing it annually, the bill seeks to uplift and support marginalised individuals, including the aged, disabled, widows, and single women. 
• Additionally, the bill establishes a robust social security system, empowering citizens with a safety net to combat poverty and enhance their overall socio-economic well-being.

Implementation Challenges:

• The financial burden of providing guaranteed income and pensions to the entire adult population.
• Challenges in accurately targeting and identifying eligible beneficiaries.
• Managing administrative capacity and distribution logistics effectively.
• Ensuring transparency and minimizing corruption and leakages.
• Addressing geographic disparities and equitable resource allocation.
• Monitoring and evaluating the scheme’s impact on an ongoing basis.
• Adapting to changing economic conditions and unforeseen events.
• Raising public awareness and encouraging active participation.
• Securing consistent political support for the scheme’s success.

International Examples:

• Brazil’s Bolsa Família represents the current social welfare initiative implemented by the Government of Brazil, operating within the Fome Zero network of federal assistance programs. It aims to offer financial aid to impoverished Brazilian families.
• On the other hand, Mexico’s Oportunidades was the pioneering national conditional cash transfer program designed to assist impoverished and extremely poor households, integrating three fundamental social rights: healthcare, education, and nutrition.

Way forward: 

• The Rajasthan Minimum Guaranteed Income Act, 2023, aims to provide financial security to the adult population, though challenges in funding, administration, targeting, and public awareness must be addressed for its success, benefiting the marginalised and establishing a robust social security system in Rajasthan.

Sources: 

Rajasthan minimum income Bill: provisions, what makes it unique | The Indian Express
Rajasthan Assembly passes Bills on minimum income, higher punishment for paper leaks – The Hindu

Yojna daily current affairs eng med 22th July 2023

Q1. With reference to the Rajasthan Minimum Guaranteed Income Act, 2023, consider the following statements:

1. The bill aims to provide guaranteed employment for 125 days every year to all families in the state.
2. The aged, disabled, widows, and single women will receive a minimum monthly pension of Rs 1,000, which increases by 15 percent annually.
3. The Bill encompasses the right to minimum guaranteed income, guaranteed employment, and guaranteed social security pension.

How many of the above statements are correct? 

(a) Only one 

(b) Only two 

(c) All three 

(d) None

Answer: (c) 

Q2. Which one of the following is NOT a core objective of the Rajasthan Minimum Guaranteed Income Act, 2023?

(a) Uplift and support marginalised individuals

(b) Creation of productive assets

(c) Enhancing livelihood security

(d) Ensuring empowerment to women

Answer: (b)

Q3. Discuss the key provisions of the Rajasthan Minimum Guaranteed Income Act, 2023, and analyse its potential impact on poverty alleviation and socio-economic development in the state.

Gaurav N