Lok Sabha Question No. 4190 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-29
Subject: Study to Assess the Impact of MGNREGS
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Arvind Ganpat Sawant, Krupal Balaji Tumane, Vinayak Bhaurao Raut, Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav, Bhavana Gawali (Patil)

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4190

ANSWERED ON 29/03/2022

## STUDY TO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF MGNREGS

## 4190.   SHRI ARVIND GANPAT SAWANT:

SHRI KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE:

SHRI VINAYAK RAUT:

SHRI SANJAY JADHAV:

SHRIMATI BHAVANA PUNDALIKRAO GAWALI:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of works and projects under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) targeted to be completed by the end of this financial year along with the steps taken by the Government to expedite the said works;
- (b) whether the Government has conducted any studies in this regard and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has assessed the impact of MGNREGS in terms of increase in household income, poverty alleviation etc., if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) the number of works completed under MGNREGS during the last five years along with the details thereof, year-wise;
- (e) whether the Government had held any other discussion with key stakeholders to assess the various schemes being implemented and if so, the details thereof;
- (f) the details of the outcome of this discussion;  and
- (g) whether the stakeholders have been fully taken care of and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)

(a)to(c):    Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment  Guarantee  Scheme  (Mahatma Gandhi NREGS) is a demand driven wage employment programme. The core objective of the Scheme  is  to  provide  not  less  than  100  days  of  unskilled  manual  work  as  a  guaranteed employment in a financial year to every household in rural areas as per demand, resulting in creation of productive assets of prescribed quality and durability. In the current financial year 2021-22 (as on 27.03.2022), a total  of  83.82  lakh  works  have  been  completed  and  133.09 lakh works are ongoing under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS.

The Ministry regularly reviews the performance of the implementation of Mahatma Gandhi NREGS (including completion of ongoing works) in States/UTs through various fora viz.,  Mid-Term  Review,  Labour  Budget  meetings,  Labour  Budget  Revision  meetings, Programme Review meetings. Central Employment Guarantee Council and State Employment Guarantee Councils periodically monitor implementation of the programme.

Government of India has made assessment of implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi NREGS  through  third  party  study  in  terms  of  increase  in  household  income,  poverty alleviation etc. sponsored by NITI Aayog in 2020. Some of the key findings of the study are as below:

- i. Mahatma Gandhi NREGA is a powerful instrument for inclusive growth in rural India through its impact on social protection, livelihood security and democratic empowerment.
- ii. Mahatma Gandhi NREGS provide livelihood security for the poor through creation of durable assets, improved water security, soil conservation and higher land productivity.
- iii. Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGS  has  had  a  positive  impact  on  the  standard  of  living  of households  through  increase  in  household  income  by  improvements  in  production from agriculture.
- iv. Mahatma Gandhi NREGA has led to major increases in wages of rural workers
- v. SC, ST and Women along with socially excluded communities benefit from and are included in Mahatma Gandhi NREGA plans which could be a significant indicator of poverty alleviation in rural areas.
6. (d):   Year-wise number of works completed under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS in the last five financial years 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21 is given below:

| Financial year   |   Number of completed works (in lakh) |
|------------------|---------------------------------------|
| 2016-17          |                                 66.57 |
| 2017-18          |                                 63.53 |
| 2018-19          |                                 91.54 |
| 2019-20          |                                 74.95 |
| 2020-21          |                                 85.52 |

(As per MIS)

(e)to(g)   The Ministry has a comprehensive system of monitoring and review mechanism for Mahatma Gandhi NREGS. Some of the important elements of the above framework are listed below:

- i. The Ministry regularly reviews the performance of the implementation of Mahatma Gandhi NREGS in States/UTs through various fora viz., Mid-Term Review, Labour Budget meetings,  Labour Budget Revision meetings, Programme Review meetings. Central Employment Guarantee Council and State Employment Guarantee Councils periodically monitor implementation of the programme.
- ii. National  Level  Monitors,  Common  Review  Missions  and  Officers  of  the  Ministry visit States/UTs at regular interval to review implementation of the programme. After the field visits,  the  findings/shortcomings and recommendations are shared with the States/UTs for appropriate action at their end.
- iii. Auditing  Standards  for  Social  Audit  have  been  issued  and  States/UTs  have  been advised  to  establish  independent  Social  Audit  Units,  conduct  Social  Audit  as  per Audit of Scheme Rules, 2011 and training of village resource persons for conducting Social Audit etc. Internal Audit Teams of the Department also conduct regular audit.
- iv. Steps  have  been  taken  to  strengthen  transparency  and  accountability  which  include geo-tagging  of  assets,  Direct  Benefit  Transfer  (DBT),  National  electronic  Fund Management System (NeFMS), Aadhar Based Payment System (ABPS), Software for
5. Estimate Calculation using rural rates for Employment (SECURE) and appointment of Ombudsperson in every district of States/UTs. v. Steps have been taken for establishment of State Technical Cell at various level for qualitative monitoring and supervision of works under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS. vi. In  order  to  ensure  higher  level  of  monitoring  and  oversight,  National  Mobile Monitoring  System  and  Area  Officer  App  have  been  introduced.  In  the  former, attendance  of  workers  on  a  particular  work,  where  more  than  20  workers  are employed  is  taken  daily  along  with  a  geo-tagged  &  time  stamped  photograph  of theirs.  The  latter  has  been  designed  to  ensure  that  field  officials  do  conduct inspections  in  the  requisite  numbers  and  look  into  all  the  relevant  aspects  of  the scheme. In addition Central and State Employment Guarantee Councils, District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committees (DISHA) as also PRIs do also take up the
- vii. monitoring and oversight of the Programme.

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