Lok Sabha Question No. 1328 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-03
Subject: Appointment of Consultants
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri Daroga Prasad Saroj

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1328 ANSWERED ON 03/12/2024

## APPOINTMENT OF CONSULTANTS

## 1328. SHRI DAROGA PRASAD SAROJ:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENTbe pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  and  total  number  of  consultants  working  in  the Ministryof Rural Development,  SC, ST, OBC  and  Minority category-wise;
- (b) the total number of consultants recruited on regular posts and the  number  of  consultants  whose  salaries  are  paid  from  the consolidated fund of the Government;
- (c) the number of staff members or consultants belonging to SC, ST, OBC and minority communities;
- (d) whether  the  constitutional  provisions  of  reservation  roster have been followed in the said appointment, if not, the details of  the  Acts,  rules  or  office  memoranda  of  the  Government under which these constitutional provisions have been discontinued;
- (e) whether the job cardholders of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)  are paid wages within 15 days;
- (f) whether the wage rate under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) is uniform in the country, if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (g) the outstanding amount for material and wages under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (DR. CHANDRA SEKHAR PEMMASANI)

(a) to  (d):  The  Ministry  of  Rural  Development  comprises  two departments viz - the Department of Rural Development (DoRD) and the Department of Land Resources (DoLR). Under this Ministry, the Department of Rural Development is engaged in the implementation of  several  flagship  programs  of  the  Government  of  India  -  the Pradhan MantriAwaasYojanaGramin (PMAY-G), Pradhan Mantri Gram SadakYojana  (PMGSY),  DeendayalAntyodayaYojana-  National  Rural Livelihoods  Mission  (DAY-NRLM),  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), DeenDayalUpadhyayGrameenKaushalyaYojana  (DDU-GKY)  and  the National Social Assistance Program (NSAP), etc.. All these flagship programmes  are  implemented  through  a  dedicated  Management Information  System  using  innovative  IT  solutions.  The  Department of  Land  Resources  is  engaged  in  the  exercise  of  the  Digital  India Land  Records  Modernization  Programme  (DILRMP)  and  Watershed Dev. Component-Pradhan MantriKrishiSinchayeeYojana 2.0. Therefore, it is seen  that the workload  in this Ministry has significantly increased.

The  Ministry  of  Rural  Development  has  hired  consultants  to facilitate  the  smooth  implementation  of  its  flagship  programmes different  programme divisions  of  the  Ministry.  The  Consultants  also  provide  support  for the States/UTs, enabling the Officers to focus on core policy issues and and to support the Officers  engaged in facilitating day-to-day coordination of the Ministry with ensure the meeting of milestones within the set deadline.

As on 30.11.2024, a total of 284 consultants were hired with different divisions of the DoRD and 41 consultants were hired by the DoLR. These consultants are hired through Institutions, Autonomous bodies, Public Sector Enterprises, etc. The Consultants are  hired  after  following  due  process  with  the  approval  of  the Competent Authority, thereby ensuring compliance with the provisions  of  the  General  Financial  Rules  (GFR)  and  other  extant instructions. The remuneration of the consultants is paid from the funds  made  available  to  this  Ministry  as  Budget  support.  The category-wise  data  of  the  Consultants  is  not  available  with  this Ministry.

- (e): The Mahatma Gandhi NREGS  is a demand-driven wage employment  programme  and  funds  are  released  to  States/UTs  on the basis of agreed to Labour Budget and performance of the States during the year. The funds released under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA

is based on the provisions of the Act and guidelines. Fund release to States/UTs is a continuous process and the Central Government is committed to making funds available keeping in view, the demand for  work.  Necessary  action  has  been  taken  for  ensuring  timely payment of wages to beneficiaries.

Details of the Fund Transfer Orders (FTOs) generated within 15 days from the closure of muster rolls under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS during the last financial years 2023-24 and the current financial year 2024-25 (as on 28.11.2024) are given below:

| Financial Year                                             |   2023-24 |   2024-25 |
|------------------------------------------------------------|-----------|-----------|
| % Fund Transfer Orders (FTOs) are generated within 15 days |     97.98 |     98.91 |

- (f):       As  per  Section  6  (1)  of  the  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural Employment  Guarantee  Act  (Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGA),  2005,  the Central  Government may by notification specify the wage rate for unskilled  work  for  its  beneficiaries.  Accordingly,  the  Ministry  of Rural Development notifies Mahatma Gandhi NREGA wage rate for every  financial  year  for  States/UTs.  To  compensate  the  Mahatma Gandhi  NREGA  workers  against  inflation,  the  Ministry  of  Rural Development revises  the  wage  rate  every  financial  year  based  on changes in the Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labour (CPIAL). The index is different for different States/UTs as notified by the Labour Bureau, Shimla. If the calculated wage rate of any State/UT is  lower  than  the  wage  rate  of  the  previous  financial  year,  it  is protected  by  maintaining  the  previous  financial  year's  wage  rate. The  wage  rate  is  made  applicable  from  the  1st  of  April  of  each financial year. However, each State/UT can provide wages over and above the wage rate notified by the Central Government.
- (g):       The  fund  release  to  the  States/UTs  is  a  continuous process and Central Government is committed to making funds available to States/UTs for the implementation of the Scheme as per the demand for  work  on  the  ground.  In  the  FY  2024-25  (as  on  28.11.2024)  an amount  of  Rs.  55105.57  Crores  under  wage  components  and  Rs.

19978.06  Crores  under  material  and  admin  component  has  been released to States/UTs.

Under  Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGS,  States/UTs  furnish  fund release proposals to the Government of India. The Ministry releases funds periodically in two tranches with each tranche consisting of one  or  more  installments,  keeping  in  view  the  'agreed  to'  Labour Budget, demand for works, opening balance, pace of utilization of funds, pending liabilities, overall performance and subject to submission of relevant documents by the States/UTs. Here it is also mentioned that after 1 st  October of FY fund release is also subject to furnishing audit accounts  and  utilization  certificate by  the States/UTs. As on 27.11.2024, the amount due to States/UTs under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA is Rs. 2902.06 crore for Material component and Rs. 661.50 crore for wage component.

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