The UPA Government under its Common Minimum Programme (CMP) has declared that it "…….,will immediately enact a National Employment Guarantee Act. This will provide a legal guarantee for at least 100 days of employment to begin with, on asset-creating public works programmes every year at minimum wages for at least one able-bodied person in every rural, urban poor and lower middle class household. In the interim, a massive food-for-work programme will be started". As explained in the CMP, the launching of employment guarantee programme would depend on the enactment of National Employment Guarantee Act and therefore, would take some time; hence, Government launched this massive food-for-work programme as committed under the CMP of UPA Government. Finance Minister in his Budget Speech had also announced that, pending the enactment of National Employment Guarantee Act, Food for Work Programme in the 150 most backward districts would be launched. The total requirement for the remaining part of the current year assessed by the Planning Commission is Rs. 3950 crore. However, it has kept apart a provision of Rs. 2020 crore at this stage to meet the essential cost of the programme for the remaining period of the current financial year.

The main objective of the NFFWP is to provide additional resources apart from the resources available under Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana (SGRY) to 150 most backward districts of the country so that generation of supplementary wage employment and providing of food-security through creation of need based economic, social and community assets in these districts is further intensified.

The NFFWP will be open to all rural poor who are in need of wage employment and desire to do manual and unskilled work. The programme will be self-targeting in nature

The 150 most backward Districts has been identified by the Planning Commission in consultation with the Ministry of Rural Development. The Task Force constituted by the Ministry of Rural Development under the Chairmanship of Advisor (RD), Planning Commission selected three variables for computing the index of backwardness, namely (i) agricultural productivity per worker; (ii) agricultural wage rate; and (iii) SC/ST population. The 150 Districts were selected on this basis. The districts which have been included for the National Food for Work Programmer,(NFFWP) are as follows: Andhra Pradesh: Adilabad, Mahbubnagar, Rangareddy, Khammam, Warangal, Nalgonda, Anantpur, Cudappah. Arunachal Pradesh: Upper Subansiri. Assam: Kokrajhar, North Cachar Hills, Karbi Anglong, Dhemaji, North Lakhimpur. Bihar: Araria, Vaishali, Gaya, Madhubani, Muzaffarpur, Nawadah, Samastipur, Sheohar, Katihar, Jamui, Lakhisarai, Monghyr, Purnea, Supaul, Darbhanga. Chhattisgarh: Bastar, Dantewada, Kanker, Koria, Sarguja, Jaspur, Dhamatri, Raigarh, Bilaspur,, Rajnandgaon. Gujarat: Dangs, Dohad, Panch Mahals, Sabarkantha, Narmada, Banaskantha.Haryana: Satyamev Puram. H.P: Chamba. J&K: Doda, Kupwara. Jharkahand : Saraikela, Singhbhum West, Godda, Simdega, Gumla, Chatra, Garhwa, Palamau, Latehar, Lohardagga, Dumka, Jamtara, Sehebganj, Pakur. Karnataka : Chitradurga, Davanagere, Bidar. Kerala: Wayanad. Madhya Pradesh. Jhabua, Mandla, Umaria, Shahdol, Barwani, Khargone, Shivpuri, Sidhi, Tikamgarh, Balaghat, Chattarpur, Betul, Khandwa, Seopur, Dhar. Maharashtra : Gadchiroli, Gondya, Chandrapur, Dhule, Nandurbar, Hingoli, Nanded, Aurangabad, Ahmednagar, Yawatmal, Bhandara. Manipur: Tamenlong. Meghalaya : South Garo Hills. Mizoram : Siaha. Nagaland: Mon. Orissa: Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Mayurbhanj, Sundergarh, Keonjhar, Phulbani, Boudh, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Sambalpur, Ganjam, Deogarh, Jharsuguda, Sonepur, Bolangir, Dhenkanal. Punjab: Hoshiarpur. Rajasthan: Banswara, Dungarpur, Udaipur, Sirohi, Karauli. Sikkim: North Sikkim. Tamil Nadu: Tiruvannamalai, South Arcot/Cuddalore, Villupuram, Nagapattinam. Tripura: Dhalai. Uttaranchal: Champawat, Tehri Garhwal. Uttar Pradesh: Sonbhadra, Unnao, Raebareli, Sitapur, Hardoi, Fatehpur, Lalitpur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Banda, Chitrakoot, Mirzapur, Kushinagar, Mahoba, Hamirpur, Barabanki. West Bengal: Purulia, Malda, West Midnapur, Bankura, West/North Dinajpur, Murshidabad.

The Department of Rural Development will be the nodal department for the implementation of the Programme. The programme will be implemented as a 100% Centrally Sponsored Scheme. Foodgrains will be provided to the States free of cost. The transportation cost, handling charges, taxes on foodgrains will be responsibility of the States.

The NFFWP will be allocation-based in terms of cash and foodgrains. The resources will be provided directly to the selected 150 backward Districts. The allocation of resources among the districts will be on the basis of percentage of each district in the total allocation of these districts under SGRY. The resources will be released in two instalments in a year. Supply of foodgrains and its payment to FCI will be on SGRY pattern except that it will be paid at the BPL rates. For 2004-05, the allocation will be released as additional allocation of SGRY and shall include funds for preparation of Perspective Plan. The programme will become fully operational from the next financial year by which Perspective Plan for each selected district will be ready. (SGRY) pattern will be followed for payment of wages.

Collector will be the Nodal Officer at the district level and overall responsibility of planning, implementation, coordination, monitoring and supervision will be that of the Collector of the District. The Secretarial assistance will be provided to the Collector from the DRDA/Zilla Parishad.

A Perspective Plan of the works to be undertaken for five years will be got prepared by the Collector with the assistance of experts. The Plan will focus on water conservation, drought proofing and land improvement as a first priority. Flood control, land development and rural connectivity in terms of all weather roads and other productive works for ensuring economic sustainability may also be included depending upon local needs. Professional agencies may be engaged for preparation of the Plan. The Perspective Plan will be prepared in consultation with the appropriate levels of panchayats. Shelf of works out of the Perspective Plan may b e prepared Gram Panchayat/Block-wise based on priorities. Selection of works for execution will be from the relevant shelf of project whenever and wherever needed.

The programme will be implemented in accordance with the Perspective Plan. The Perspective Plan (for five years) will be sent to the Ministry of Rural Development by the State Government for approval with the commitment that necessary inputs required for the upkeep of the assets so created under the programme will be provided by them. The Collector will get works executed through Line Departments/Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs)/reputed NGOs/SHGs or departmentally.

The Ministry in consultation with the State Government may permit necessary amendments in the mode of execution, agencies for execution and maintenance, keeping in view the specific conditions prevailing in a State or a District provided the amendment likely to result in a substantial improvement in the implementation of the scheme and achievement of the objectives.