MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI BIRENDER SINGH)
(a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
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Statement in reply to Part (a) to (d) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 189 for 10.03.2016
(a): The permissible works under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA are listed in Schedule–I of the Act which is at Annexure-I.
(b): The last comprehensive amendment was done vide Notification dated 03.01.2014. Vide Notification dated 21.07.2014, amendments were made in Paragraph 4 and 20 of the Schedule-I of the Act providing for at least 60% of the works in the district in terms of cost for creation of productive assets directly linked to agriculture and allied activities through development of land, water and trees.
(c): There is provision for convergence of Mahatma Gandhi NREGA works with related works under other programmes like Indira AwasYojana, Integrated Water Management Programme, National Rural Livelihood Mission, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana of Ministry of Rural Development, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, etc. The Government has launched Project LIFE-MGNREGA, a convergence initiative with Ajeevika Skills Mission (NRLM) and Deen Dayal Upadhaya Grameen KaushalyaYojna to skill the youth from families that are solely dependent on MGNREGA works.
(d): The major steps taken by the Government to improve the programme implementation under MGNREGA are given in the Annexure-II.
Annexure-I referred to in reply to parts (a) &(b) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 189 dated 10.03.2016
I. Category: A: PUBLIC WORKS RELATING TO NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT:
(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 covered in Paragraph 5; and
(vi) Land development works in common land.
II. Category B: COMMUNITY ASSETS OR INDIVIDUAL ASSETS FOR VULNERABLE SECTIONS (ONLY FOR HOUSEHOLDS IN PARAGRAPH 5):
(i) Improving productivity of lands of households specified in Paragraph5 through land development and by providing suitable infrastructure for irrigation including dug wells, farm ponds and other water harvesting structures;
(ii) Improving livelihoods through horticulture, sericulture, plantation, and farm forestry;
(iii) Development of fallow or waste lands of households defined in Paragraph5 to bring it under cultivation;
(iv) Unskilled wage component in construction of houses sanctioned under the Indira AwaasYojana or such other State or Central Government Scheme;
(v) Creating infrastructure for promotion of livestock such as, poultry shelter, goat shelter, piggery shelter, cattle shelter and fodder troughs for cattle; and
(vi) Creating infrastructure for promotion of fisheries such as, fish drying yards, storage facilities, and promotion of fisheries in seasonal water bodies on public land;
III. Category C: COMMON INFRASTRUCTURE INCLUDING FOR NRLM COMPLIANT SELF HELP GROUPS:
(i) Works for promoting agricultural productivity by creating durable infrastructure required for bio-fertilizers and post-harvest facilities including pucca storage facilities for agricultural produce; and
(ii) Common work-sheds for livelihood activities of self-help groups.
IV. Category D: RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE:
(i) Rural sanitation related works, such as, individual household latrines, school toilet units, Anganwadi toilets either independently or in convergence with schemes of other Government Departmentsto achieve ‘open defecation free’ status. and solid and liquid waste management as per prescribed norms
(ii) Providing all-weather rural road connectivity to unconnected villages and to connect identified rural production centres to the existing pucca road network; and construction of pucca internal roads or streets including side drains and culverts within a village;
(iii) Construction of play fields;
(iv) Works for improving disaster preparedness or restoration of roads or restoration of other essential public infrastructure including flood control and protection works, providing drainage in water logged areas, deepening and repairing of flood channels, chaur renovation, construction of storm water drains for coastal protection;
(v) Construction of buildings for Gram Panchayats, women self-help groups’ federations, cyclone shelters, Anganwadicentres, village haats and crematoria at the village or block level.
(vi) Construction of Food Grain Storage Structures for implementing the provisions of The National Food Security Act 2013 (20 of 2013);
(vii) Production of building material required for construction works under the Act as a part of the estimate of such construction works.
(viii) Maintenance of rural public assets created under the Act; and
(ix) any other work which may be notified by the Central Government in consultation with the State Government in this regard.
Annexure-II referred to in reply to part (d) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 189 dated 10.03.2016
Major steps taken by the Government to improve the programme implementation under MGNREGA
Better planning and asset identification
• An Intensive Participatory Planning Exercise (IPPE) /Mission Antyodaya has been launched in 2569 most backward blocks. This exercise has helped in identifying better quality assets that need to be created.
• For improving convergence with the line departments, and thereby to improve the 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 the work, and the same is being measured after completion of the work-thereby bringing in more focus on outcomes.
• Ministry has conducted training of Technical Resource Persons from the States/UTs on different technical aspects of works which can be taken up under the scheme.States have been asked to train Block resource persons and district resource persons to from technical teams.
• The States/UTs have been asked to deploy State Quality Monitors to inspect the quality of assets created under the Scheme.
• States have been advised to engage technical assistants/barefoot engineers for better technical planning and supervision of works under MGNREG.
Better transparency, accountability and grievance redressal
• States/UTs have been asked to strengthen Social audits of MGNREGS works in accordance with the provisions of the Audit of Schemes Rules 2011 issued in consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor General of India. Social Audit Action Plan has been formulated and shared with States.
?• All States have been requested to set up an independent Social Audit Unit (SAU) and appoint Ombudsman at the district level for grievance redressal.
• The Ministry has established a comprehensive system of monitoring and review 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 tempering and misuse of muster rolls, the e-Muster system has been introduced.
Fund management and avoiding delays in payment
• The latest initiatives taken by the Central Government are launching of National Electronic Fund Management System (NeFMS) in Kerala on pilot basis, launching of Dashboard for tracking of pending Fund Transfer Orders, Public Fund Management System, Workers module, electronic Fund Management System, Direct Benefit Transfer etc. It has been decided to upscale NeFMS in Ten States with effected from 1st April 2016.
Project LIFE – MGNREGA
• The Government has launched Project Livelihood in Full Employment-Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (Project LIFE- MGNREGA). It aims to plan and implement tailor-made livelihood interventions for rural households in convergence with National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), KrishiVigyanKendras (KVKs) and Deen Dayal Updhyaya Grameen KaushalyaYojna (DDU-GKY) thereby, converting them into skilled persons.
• Focus on NRM and individual assets.
Monitoring and Review Mechanism
• The Scheme is regularly reviewed in the Performance Review Committee meetings, Video conferences and Regional Review meetings. State specific reviews are also undertaken from time to time. Officers of the Ministry and National Level Monitors also visit various districts to oversee the performance of MGNREGA.
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