Question : BENEFICIARIES UNDER MGNREGS

(a) the details of assets created under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise;

(b) whether many villages in Rajasthan are still devoid of roads since road construction work is not allowed under the Scheme;

(c) if so, the reaction of the Government thereto;

(d) whether the Government has reviewed the performance of this Scheme;

(e) if so, the success achieved and the overall impact of the Scheme on the Indian economy;

(f) whether the Government has developed or proposes to develop any system to create awareness among the rural population about the Scheme; and

(g) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI PRADEEP JAIN “ADITYA”)

(a): The details of category wise number of works completed under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) as reported by States/UTs during each of the last three years and current year are given in Annexure.

(b)&(c): Rural connectivity to provide all weather access, including culverts and roads with in a village wherever necessary is a permissible activity in Schedule-I of MGNREGA.

(d) & (e): Ministry of Rural Development organizes concurrent evaluation/assessment of all its programmes/Schemes including MGNREGA on periodic basis through independent and reputed agencies and organizations. The Ministry of Rural Development has engaged Institutions like Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD), National Sample Survey organization (NSSO) and other professional institutions to conduct studies and surveys on the implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). Some major findings of such Studies are given below:

i. Increase in Agriculture Minimum Wages and wage earned per day due to impact of MGNREGA has given a bargaining power to the labour (IIM Lucknow, NDUAT Faizabad).

ii. Reduction in distress migration: Studies report reduction in distress migration (council for Social Development, Centre for Science and Environment, Indian Institute of Management, Shillong).

iii. Creation of “Green Jobs”: nearly 70% works relate to water conservation, water- harvesting, restoration, renovation and desilting of water bodies, drought-proofing, plantation & afforestation (Indian institute of Science Bangalore and IIFM, Bhopal).

iv. Improvement in ground water, improved agricultural productivity & cropping intensity, mono crop to two crops (Administrative Staff college of India (ASCI).

v. Reduction in water vulnerability index, agriculture vulnerability, livelihood vulnerability index (Indian institute of Science Bangalore).

vi. No gender differential in wage rates for MGNREG works. (NSSO 64th Round).

(f)&(g): Information, Education and Communication activities for all the programmes including MGNREGA of the Ministry are done in a holistic manner both in electronic and print media for generating awareness across the country for effective implementation of all these programmes. Such special awareness generation campaigns regarding the rights and entitlements, processes and other information relevant to the beneficiaries under MGNREGA are conducted by the Ministry through various agencies from time to time.