Chapter: Gist of Press Information Bureau Articles

Topic: MGNREGA

Q. What is the objective of MGNREGA?

The objective of the Act is to enhance the livelihood security of people in rural areas by guaranteeing 100 days of wage-employment in a financial year to a rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.

These works include water conservation, drought proofing, irrigation, land development, rejuvenation of traditional water bodies, flood control and drainage work, rural connectivity and work on the land of SC/ST/BPL/IAY beneficiaries/land reform beneficiaries/ individual small and marginal farmers.

Q. What are the new initiatives taken in respect of MGNREGA?

• The new wage rates which come in to effect from January 1, 2011 are higher than the prevailing wage rates under MGNREGA at present in many states.
• Wage disbursement to Mahatma Gandhi NREGA workers through Banks/Post Office accounts has been made mandatory. Around 9.38 bank/post office accounts have been opened so far.
• On line Monitoring: Job cards, muster rolls, wage payments, number of days of employment provided and works under execution have been put up on the website www.nrega.nic.in for monitoring and easy public access for information.
• District Level Ombudsman: Set up to receive complaints from Mahatma Gandhi NREGA workers and others on any matters, consider such complaints and facilitate their disposal in accordance with law.

• Social Audits made mandatory: Gram Panchayats have been asked to organize Social Audits once in every six months. Reports on Social Audits uploaded on the MGNREGA website. 73 % Gram Panchayats have reported to have undertaken Social Audits in 2010-11 so far.

• National Level Monitors (NLMs) Visit: 37 National level Monitor were deputed in 37 districts in 15 state s for special monitoring of the program.

• Eminent Citizen Monitor s: 61Eminent Citizens have been identified so far as per the Guidelines of the Scheme for independent monitoring. It is proposed to set up a group of 100 Eminent Citizen Monitors to Report on the progress of the scheme.

• Vigilance and Monitoring committees (V&MCs) at State and District level have been re- constituted for effective monitoring of the implementation of the program.
• National Helpline for receipt of complaints: Toll free National Helpline 1800110707 has been set up for the protection of workers entitlements and rights under the Act.

• Partnership with Unique Identification Development Authority of India (UIDA): Mahatma Gandhi NREGA is collaborating with UIDA. By creating a unique identity of the individual the process would eliminate duplicate job cards, ghost beneficiaries while facilitating easy bank account opening, tracking the mobility of beneficiaries and ensuring a better m o n it or in g o f t h e system .

• Construction o f B h a rat Nirman Rajiv Gandhi Sewa Kendra: Use of administrative head of 6% under the Scheme has been permitted for provision of latest ICT facilities in Gram Panchayats (BNRGSK) within the permissible norms of the State Government subject to due procedures.

• Enlarging the scope of works permitted: Works related to provision of irrigation facility, horticulture plantation and land development facilities on the private land owned by SCs and STs or below poverty line families (BPL) has been permitted under the Act. Gram Panchayats while approving work plans have been asked to ensure that works on lands of SC / ST and BPL receive first priority.

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