Question : Special Provisions under MGNREGS

(a) whether the Government has made special provisions under MGNREG Scheme for all the drought affected areas including Bundelkhand;

(b) if so, the details thereof, State/UTwise;

(c) whether the Government has taken any cognizance of anomalies and delay in payment of wages under MGNREG Scheme;

(d) if so, the remedial measures taken in this regard along with the details of outstanding dues under MGNREG Scheme in Bundelkhand;

(e) whether the Government proposes to review the nutrition aspect and working conditions in view of the extra labour put by the women under MGNREG scheme and if so, the details thereof;

(f) whether the Government proposes to give priority to women in operation of machines used in construction work under MGNREG scheme and in managerial skills;

(g) if so, the measures taken by the Government for providing training to women; and

(h) the details of the employment provided to women during the last three years and the current year in Bundelkhand under MGNREG Scheme?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI RAM KRIPAL YADAV)



(a)&(b): In current financial year (FY 2016-17) a national target of constructing 8,82,325 Farm Ponds under MGNREGA has been kept to harvest rain water.


In addition to construction of Farm Ponds, other types of works given below are permitted and being taken up under MGNREGA to mitigate drought:

(i) Water conservation and water harvesting structures to augment and improve groundwater like underground dykes, earthen dams, stop dams, check dams with special focus on recharging ground water including drinking water sources;

(ii) Watershed management works such as contour trenches, terracing, contour bunds, boulder checks, gabion structures and spring shed development resulting in a comprehensive treatment of a watershed;

(iii) Micro and minor irrigation works and creation, renovation and maintenance of irrigation canals and drains;

(iv) Renovation of traditional water bodies including desilting of irrigation tanks and other water bodies;

(v) Afforestation, tree plantation and horticulture in common and forest lands, road margins, canal bunds, tank foreshores and coastal belts duly providing right to usufruct to the households.

(vi) Improving productivity of lands of households through land development and by providing suitable infrastructure for irrigation including dug wells, and other water harvesting structures;

The Ministry of Rural development provides 50 days of additional employment in notified areas of drought affected States under MGNREGS.

Accordingly, on the recommendation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, a provision of additional employment of 50 days over and above 100 days per household under MGNREGA has been made in the notified drought affected areas of the following States during FY 2015-16 and FY 2016-17 (as on 11.7.2016). The details are given as under: -

(c)&(d): The Ministry, under MGNREGA receives complaints of irregularities including anomalies, delay in payment of wages etc. from States/UTs. Since the responsibility of implementation of MGNREGA is vested with the State Governments, all complaints received in the Ministry are forwarded to the concerned State Governments for taking appropriate action including investigation, as per law. Detailed instructions by way of Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for dealing with complaints have also been issued to all States/UTs.

In order to ensure timely payment wages, Rules have been issued for timely payment of wages under which, it was suggested that clear accountability shall be fixed on the functionaries for timely performance of specific duties leading to payment of wages.
For ensuring timely payment of wages, the Central Government has also started National Electronic Fund Management System (NeFMS) in 11 States (Assam, Bihar, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala Odisha Punjab, Rajasthan, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh and Uttrakhand) and launched Dashboard for tracking of pending Fund Transfer Orders, Public Fund Management System, electronic Fund Management System, Direct Benefit Transfer etc.

(e): Conditions for guaranteed Rural Employment under a Scheme and minimum entitlements of labourer have been stipulated under Schedule-II of the Act. Section 5(2) of the Act stipulates that the persons employed under any Scheme made under this Act shall be entitled to such facilities not less than the minimum facilities specified in Schedule II.

(f)&(g): Para 22 of Schedule-I of the Act provides that as far as practicable, works shall be executed by using manual labour and no labour displacing machines shall be used. Further, it has been provided that priority shall be given to women in such a way that at least one-third of the beneficiaries shall be women who have registered and requested for work under this Act.

(h): Number of women provided employment under MGNREGA in Bundelkhand region during the last three years and the current year are indicated in the Annexure.

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