Lok Sabha Question No. 901 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-03
Subject: Review of MGNREGS
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: VIJAYSINH MOHITE PATIL, HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT, DHANANJAY BHIMRAO MAHADIK, SUPRIYA SADANAND SULE, RAJEEV SHANKARRAO SATAV, BHEEMRAO BASWANTHRAO PATIL, T. RADHAKRISHNAN, R. PARTHIPAN, JAYAKUMAR JAYAVARDHAN

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 901

TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.12 .2015

## REVIEW OF MGNREGS

## 901. SHRI MOHITE PATIL VIJAYSINH SHANKAR RAO:

DR. HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT:

SHRI DHANANJAY MAHADIK:

SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE:

SHRI SATAV RAJEEV:

SHRI BHEEMRAO B. PATIL:

SHRI T. RADHAKRISHNAN:

SHRI R. PARTHIPAN:

DR. J. JAYAVARDHAN:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whetherMahatma Gandhi NationalRural Employment Guarantee Scheme(MGNREGS) is a social security safeguard and not an alternative employment avenue, if so, the detail thereof along with the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (b) whether the Government has ordere d a nationwide review of the MGNREGS programme to see if it meets the objective of generating jobs and creating durable assets, if so, the details and the outcome thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the Government has deputed officials to all St ates for this purpose, if so, the time by which the firs tphase of the exercise is likely to be completed;
- (d) whether  the  State  Governments  are lik ly  to  be  held  accountable  for  putting  in place checks and balances for timely measurement of work, closure of payments and creation of a system of technical supervision and if so, the details thereof;and
- (e) the other corrective steps taken/being taken by the Government to check corruption and stop pilferage in MGNREGS?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINIS TRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI SUDARSHAN BHAGAT)

- (a): Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is a demand -driven wage employment programme. Not less than 100 days of employment are provid registered workers upon receipt of their demand. The number of days of employment provided a household depends on the number of days of employment demanded household. MGNREGA  provides  a  supplementary  means  of  livelihood  for  the  rural  peo primarily  during  their  lean  periods and  is  not  a  substitute  for  all  other  employ opportunities. Members  of  the  household  are  free  to  avail  other  available  empl opportunities in addition to the 100 days of guaranteed wage employment per househol d provided on demand under the A ct.

by

(b)to(d): The Ministry has established a comprehensive system of monitoring a nd review mechanism  for  MGNREGA. The  matter  is  regularly  reviewed  in  the  Performance  Re Committee meetings, Video conferences and Regional Review meetings. State specific re views are also undertaken from time to time. Officers of the Ministry and National Level M visit  various  districts  to  oversee  the  performance  of  MGNREGA.  During  these  rev implementation aspects that need strengthening are identified i ncluding the areas for improvement in the quality of assets. The major steps taken by the Government to improve programme implementation under MGNREGA are given in the Annexure.

(e): There are following provisions in MGNREGS to check corruption and stop pilferage in MGNREGS: -

(i) National  Level  Monitors: If  a  complaint  is  prime  facie  substantiated  by  docume evidence,  third  party  institutional  NLMs  are  deputed  to  enquire  into  the  allegat raised in the NLM report are resolved thro ugh State Government.

(ii)Grievance  Redressal  Mechanism: The  Act  provides  for  establishment  of  Ombudsman  a district level for expeditious redressal of grievances on the implementation of MGN States/UTs. The Ombudsman can take suo moto cogniz ance of irregularities in the Scheme.

(iii) State Quality Monitor (SQM) :Guidelines provide for deployment of retired Chief/Executive Engineers for quality inspection of works implemented under the Scheme. SQM can make use of random sampling or stratified sampling in selecting the sample for quality inspection.

(iv) Social Audit: The Ministry is funding the deployment of Staff in Social Audit Un Dist rict level to strengthen the Social Audit.

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## Annexure referred to in reply to parts (b) to (d) of Lok Sabha unstarred Question No. 901 dated 03.12.2015

Major  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  improve  the  programme  implementation MGNREGA

## Better planning and asset identification

- An Intensive Participatory Planning Exercise (IPPE) /MissionAntyodayahas been launched in 2569 most backward blocks. This exercise has helped in identi kind of assets that need to be created.
- For improving convergence with the line departments, and thereby to impr quality of assets, the State Convergence Plans have been formulated.

## Improving the quality of works

- The associated outcomes of each work are being recorded before taking up t and the same is being measured after completion of the work - thereby  bringing in more focus on outcome s.
- Ministry would conduct training of Technical Resource Persons from the Sta on different technical aspects of works which can be taken up under the sc
- The  States/UTs  have  been  asked  to  deploy  State  Quality  Monitors  to  ins quality of a ssets created under the Scheme.
- States  have  been  advised  to  engage  technical  assistants/barefoot  engi better technical planning and supervision of works under MGNREGA.
- Mobile  Monitoring  Systems  have  been  introduced  in  35000  GPs  for  b implementation of the Scheme.

## Better transparency, accountability and grievance redressal

- States/UTs  have  been  asked  to  strengthen  Social  audits  of  MGNREGS  work accordance  with  the  provisions  of  the  Audit  of  Schemes  Rules  2011  is consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor General of India. In order to support the States to conduct the Social Audits as laid down under the Rules, decided to provide technical assistance of Rs.147 crore under a special Pr
- All States have been requested to set up an independent Social Audit Unit (SA and appoint Ombudsman at the district level for grievance redressal.
- The  Ministry  has  established  a  comprehensive  system  of  monitoring  and mechanism for MGNREGA, which, inter alia, include visits of the  Officers of the Ministry and National Level Monitors.
- With  a  view  to  avoid  bogus  attendance  and  to  check  instances  of  temper misuse of muster rolls, the e - Muster system has been introduced.

## Fund management and avoiding delays in payment

- The Ministry  has  initiated  Electronic  Fund  Management  System  (e - FMS)  which directly credits the wages into the respective beneficiary's accounts using the core banking  system. States  have  been  asked  to  universalise  the  operationalisa electronic Fund Man agement System to ensure smooth flow of funds from the S to the wage seekers and to eliminate delays in payment of wages.