Lok Sabha Question No. 232 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-19
Subject: Allocation for MGNREGS
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Jai Prakash, Poonam (Mahajan) Vajendla Rao, Prasun Banerjee

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.232

TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.11.2019

## ALLOCATION FOR MGNREGS

## 232. SHRI JAI PRAKASH: SHRIMATI POONAM MAHAJAN: SHRI PRASUN BANERJEE:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is considering to actively increase rural jobs, if so, the details thereof and the steps being taken in this regard;
- (b) if so, the funds allocated and utilised under the scheme along with the details of assets created and number of persons who got employment during the last five years;
- (c) whether  funds  allocated  during  the  current  fiscal  year  under  MGNREGS  has  already been spent, if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (d) whether the Government is considering to allocate additional funds for the MGNREGS and if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether the Government has directed the States to focus on MGNREGA jobs that ensure sustainable water conservation; and
- (f) if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  specific  allocation  towards  water  conservation related works?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a)&(b): Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) is a demand driven wage employment programme. The Government is actively engaged with the State  Government  in  establishing  systems  that  ensure  provision  of  work  as  per  demand.  To generate awareness about  the  provisions  of  the  Scheme and  to  provide  adequate  employment opportunities  to  rural  households  under  Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGA,  all  States/UTs  have  been requested from time to time to (i) initiate appropriate Information Education and Communication  (IEC)  campaigns  including  wall  paintings  for  wide  dissemination  of  the provisions of the Act, (ii) expand scope and coverage of demand registration system to ensure that  demand  for  work  under  MGNREGA  does  not  go  unregistered,  (iii)  prepare  plans  in  a participatory mode and get them approved in the Gram Sabha, and (iv) prepare realistic labour budget.

The  details  of  central  fund  released,  expenditure  reported  by  States/UTs,  number  of completed works and total individuals worked under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS during the last five years are as under:

*Source: www.nrega.nic.in

|   S. No. | Year    | Central fund released (Rs. in crore)   | Expenditure reported by States including State share (Rs. in crore)*   |   Total number of completed works (ln lakh)* |   Total individuals worked (in crore)* |
|----------|---------|----------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
|        1 | 2014-15 | 32,977.42                              | 35,709.78                                                              |                                        29.44 |                                   6.22 |
|        2 | 2015-16 | 37,340.72                              | 44,002.59                                                              |                                        36.18 |                                   7.22 |
|        3 | 2016-17 | 48,219.05                              | 58,062.92                                                              |                                        65.46 |                                   7.66 |
|        4 | 2017-18 | 55,166.75                              | 63,649.48                                                              |                                        62.63 |                                   7.59 |
|        5 | 2018-19 | 61,829.55                              | 69,618.37                                                              |                                        89.89 |                                   7.77 |

(c): No, Sir. The central funds of Rs.52,845.74 crore has been released to States/UTs under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA during the current FY 2019-20 (as on 11.11.2019).

(d): Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGA  is  a  demand  driven  wage  employment  programme.  The Ministry releases funds to the States based on the agreed to Labour Budget, opening balance, pending liabilities of the previous year for the financial year, if any, and overall performance. Fund release  to  States/UTs  is  a  continuous  process  and  Central  Government  is  committed  to making funds available keeping in view the demand for work.

(e)&(f): As per the Schedule-I of the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA, water conservation is a permissible  activity.  The  Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGA is  a  demand  driven  wage  employment scheme.  Hence, no  work-wise  allocation  of  funds  is  made. Mission  Water  Conservation Guidelines  were  drawn  up  in  partnership  with  the  then  Ministry  of  Water  Resources,  River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation and Department of Land Resources to focus on the dark and grey regions where the ground water was falling rapidly. It has been made mandatory for all States/UTs to spend 65% of total MGNREGS expenditure on NRM works identified in 2129 water  stressed  blocks.As  per  Management  Information  System  (MIS),  an  expenditure  of Rs.9053.48 crore has been incurred on water conservation and water harvesting works during the current FY 2019-20 (as on 14.11.2019) under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA.