Question : WAGE DAYS UNDER MGNREGS

(a) whether various States including Andhra Pradesh has urged the Union Government to increase the number of wage-days under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme;

(b) if so, the details thereof and action taken by the Union Government in this regard;

(c) the number of persons who got their names registered for employment under MGNREGS during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise;

(d) the number of persons provided employment out of the above during the said period, State/UT-wise;

(e) whether a decline in the enrolment rate has been reported under the Scheme;

(f) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor, State/UT-wise;

(g) the mode of payment to the persons working under the Scheme along with the rate of wages;

(h) whether complaints regarding payment of wages under the Scheme have been received by the Government; and

(i) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

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

(a)& (b) The provisions of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) are effected as demand driven Schemes by the State Governments. Being aware of the fact that rainfall has been lower than normal in some parts of the country and that this may lead to an increased demand for employment under MGNREGA, the Union Rural Development Ministry has written to the Chief Ministers of States to prepare a contingency plan for meeting increased demand for employment under MGNREGA. The States have been assured that in drought like conditions, the Central Government will be open to revision in the Labour Budget for the current financial year to meet the increased demand for employment. The State Governments have also been advised to prepare supplementary shelf of projects to meet increased demand for work with emphasis on water and soil conservation works so as to mitigate the impact of deficient rainfall. For this purpose, the Ministry has allowed funding the State Governments in accordance with the provisions of Section 22 of MGNREGA for providing up to 50 days of additional employment under MGNREGA in the financial year 2012-13 to registered households in drought notified Talukas/Blocks. In pursuance of the above instructions a total of 143 districts of 7 State i.e. Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh have been notified as drought effected.

(c) to (f) The number of households registered and the number of households provided employment under MGNREGS during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise as reported by states/UTs are given in Annexure-I. As reported by states /UTs, the number of households registered under MGNREGA have been constantly increasing since inception.

(g) With a view to ensuring timely payment, infusing transparency and enhancing the integrity of wage payment, Schedule II of MGNREG Act, has been amended to provide for wage disbursement to MGNREGA workers through accounts in Banks or Post Offices unless exempted by the Central Government. The prevailing wage rates are given in Annexure-II

(h) & (i) The Ministry receives a large number of complaints of all types about implementation of MGNREGA in the country. 52 cases related to delayed payment of wages, 67 cases related to underpayment of wage and 212 cases related to nonpayment of wages have been received in the Ministry as on 15.2.2013 since inception. As implementation of the Act is done by the State Governments in accordance with the Schemes formulated by them as per the provisions of the Act,all such complaints/cases received in the Ministry are forwarded to the concerned State Governments for taking appropriate action as per law. Various advisories have been issued to States/UTs to check delays in payments. A time schedule for payment of wages has been suggested to the States/UTs to reduce administrative delays.