The state government has introduced performance-linked incentives and disincentives in corporate style for employees of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and Indiramma housing programme. Those employees who do really well can get up to Rs 6,500 a month as incentive. The non-performers, on the other hand, will lose a part of their monthly pay. And if they continue to neglect their duties, the state government will show them the door, again in the style of corporates.
This is the first time that the state government has come out with such a scheme for employees. It is implementing it for staff involved in the pet projects of the Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, to prevent laxity in the run-up to the bypolls and the Assembly elections. These employees were recruited under the provisions of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 in 19 districts. Field functionaries including additional programme officers, technical assistants, computer operators at mandal level, and field assistants at gram panchayat level will come within the ambit of the scheme.
Since the demand for wage employment in rural areas is more between February and June, which is the agriculture off-season, employees will get incentives/disincentives only during this period. The Principal Secretary (panchayat raj and rural development), Mr K. Raju, issued orders implementing the new rules.
Those failing to meet the fixed target in the first month will not get their pay. If they do not meet the target in the subsequent month too, they will be removed from the service. Minimum incentive for a field officer is Rs 1,250 a month. It can go up to Rs 6,501 depending on the number of workdays generated. The government has given a minimum target of generating 100 workdays for 50 households per year.