MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI BIRENDER SINGH)
(a)&(b): The Ministry has received recently a Writ Petition (Civil) No. 768/2015 (Public Interest Litigation) filed in the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, New Delhi regarding timely payment of wages and compensation to workers under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The matter is sub-judice.
(c)&(d): Social audit of all expenditure and works executed is statutory under the MGNREGA 2005. A Special Project is implemented under which, the Ministry is funding the deployment of social audit resource personnel upto District level. It will ensure the social audit of MGNREGS works is conducted as per the Audit of Schemes Rules, 2011.In order to strengthen the social audit, a scheme for identifying, training and funding the resource persons for Social Audits has been approved by the Ministry. Except in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Sikkim and Chhattisgarh, the social audits reportedly conducted have not met the standards laid down in the Audit of Scheme Rules 2011. In order to conduct the Social audits productivelyefforts are made to train and reorient the States. State/UT-wise details on status of outcome of social audits as furnished by them are given in the Annexure-I.
The major steps taken by the Government to improve the programme implementation under MGNREGA are given in the Annexure-II.
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Annexure-I referred to in reply to parts (c)&(d) of Lok Sabha unstarred Question No. 1932 dated 10.12.2015
Status of progress in conduct of social audits (since inception)
Status of social audits conducted by SAUs of 28 States (organized in order of expenditure in FY 2014-15)
Annexure-II referred to in reply to parts (c)&(d) of Lok Sabha unstarred Question No. 1932 dated 10.12.2015
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 Antyodayahas 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 would conduct training of Technical Resource Persons from the States/UTs on different technical aspects of works which can be taken up under the scheme.
• 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.
• Mobile Monitoring Systems have been introduced in 35000 GPs for better implementation of the scheme.
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. In order to support the States to conduct the Social Audits as laid down under the Rules, it has been decided to provide technical assistance of Rs.147 crore under a special Project.
• 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 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 operationalisation of electronic Fund Management System to ensure smooth flow of funds from the State to the wage seekers and to eliminate delays in payment of wages.
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