Lok Sabha Question No. 4763 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-12-15
Subject: Demand for Work under  MGNREGS
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: M. B. RAJESH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO .4763

TO BE ANSWERED ON

15.1 2.2016

## DEMAND FOR WORK UNDER MGNREGS

## 4763. SHRI M.B. RAJESH:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  there  has  been  a  steep  rise  in  demand  for  work  under  Mahatma  Gand National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) especially during the drought years and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether this steep rise in demand has forced the Government to impose an informal moratorium on work under MGNREGS through off the record instructions to State
- (c) if so, whether any enquiry is proposed to be initiated on such instructions against the Act and if no t, the reasons for sudden and sharp fall in work in the mo of August and September;
- (d) whether the States are spending over and above the cap put by the Union Govern on labour budget is a main reason for huge dues in wages; and
- (e) ifso, the details thereof and if not, the reasons for delay in clearing wage States?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT ( SHRI RAM KRIPAL YADAV )

(a): The  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment  Guarantee  Act (MGNREGA), 2005 provides for the enhancement of livelihood security of the households in rural the country by providing at least one hundred days of guaranteed wage employment in financial  year  to  every  household  whose  adult  members  voluntee r to do unskilled manual work. The State/UT - wise  details of households provided employment by job card holde under MGNREGA during 2014 - 15 and 2015 - 16 are given in Annexure.

(b)&(c): No, Madam. The demand for work itself is influenced by various factor s such as  rainfall  pattern,  availability  of  alternative  and  remunerative  employment  opp outside  MGNREGA  and  prevailing  unskilled  wage  rates. Government  remains  actively engaged with State Governments in establishing systems that ensure provision of work as per demand.

(d)&(e): MGNREGA is  a  demand  driven  programmes  hence no  State/UT -wise allocation  of  fund  is  made. The  Central  funds  are  released  to  the  States/UTs  for  t implementation of programme including payment of wages on the basis of agree d to Labour Budgets and taking into consideration the performance and the pace of utilization of funds. The fund release to States/ UTs is a continuous process and Central Govern committed to make funds available as per actual basis.

Cases of delay in payment of wages in States/UTs have been reported in the Ministry following reasons: -

- Implementation  issues  like  delay  in  measurement,  inadequate  staff,  poor  spr banking infrastructure, etc.
- Internet connectivity for maintaining the programme database (MGNREGA - soft)

Annexure  referred  to  in  reply  to  part  (a)  of  Lok  Sabha  Unstarred Question No. 4763 dated 15.12.2016.

| SI. No.   |                   | No. of HHprovided employment (In lakh)   | No. of HHprovided employment (In lakh)   |
|-----------|-------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
|           | State             | 2014-15                                  | 2015-16                                  |
| 1         | ANDHRAPRADESH     | 32.97                                    | 36.03                                    |
| 2         | ARUNACHALPRADESH  | 1.36                                     | 1.81                                     |
| 3         | ASSAM             | 9.67                                     | 15.02                                    |
| 4         | BIHAR             | 10.36                                    | 14.89                                    |
| 5         | CHHATTISGARH      | 17.48                                    | 21.74                                    |
| 6         | GUJARAT           | 5.13                                     | 5.57                                     |
| 7         | HARYANA           | 2.18                                     | 1.69                                     |
| 8         | HIMACHAL PRADESH  | 4.53                                     | 4.23                                     |
| 9         | JAMMUANDKASHMIR   | 3.32                                     | 6.53                                     |
| 10        | JHARKHAND         | 11.11                                    | 11.26                                    |
| 11        | KARNATAKA         | 10.95                                    | 12.37                                    |
| 12        | KERALA            | 13.80                                    | 15.06                                    |
| 13        | MADHYAPRADESH     | 27.89                                    | 27.02                                    |
| 14        | MAHARASHTRA       | 11.60                                    | 12.75                                    |
| 15        | MANIPUR           | 4.69                                     | 4.74                                     |
| 16        | MEGHALAYA         | 3.51                                     | 3.68                                     |
| 17        | MIZORAM           | 1.94                                     | 1.90                                     |
| 18        | NAGALAND          | 4.05                                     | 4.17                                     |
| 19        | ODISHA            | 14.68                                    | 19.98                                    |
| 20        | PUNJAB            | 2.89                                     | 4.74                                     |
| 21        | RAJASTHAN         | 36.85                                    | 42.21                                    |
| 22        | SIKKIM            | 0.57                                     | 0.65                                     |
| 23        | TAMILNADU         | 56.58                                    | 60.53                                    |
| 24        | Telangana         | 24.63                                    | 25.62                                    |
| 25        | TRIPURA           | 5.82                                     | 5.70                                     |
| 26        | UTTAR PRADESH     | 39.16                                    | 54.36                                    |
| 27        | UTTARAKHAND       | 4.56                                     | 5.44                                     |
| 28        | WEST BENGAL       | 51.20                                    | 61.11                                    |
| 29        | ANDAMANANDNICOBAR | 0.13                                     | 0.09                                     |
| 30        | GOA               | 0.07                                     | 0.06                                     |
| 31        | LAKSHADWEEP       | 0.005                                    | 0.001                                    |
| 32        | PUDUCHERRY        | 0.30                                     | 0.33                                     |
|           | Total             | 413.97                                   | 481.31                                   |