MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)
(a) to (c): The Ministry, under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) receives complaints of irregularities/corruption and embezzlement including large scale diversion of funds, under/non-payment of wages, lack of transparency etc.. Since the responsibility of implementation of MGNREGA is vested with the State Governments/UTs, all complaints received in the Ministry are forwarded to the concerned State Governments/UTs for taking appropriate action including investigation, as per law. Steps have been taken to strengthen transparency and accountability which include geo-tagging, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), National electronic Fund Management System (NeFMS), Aadhar Based Payment System (ABPS), Software for Estimate Calculation using Rural rates for Employment (SECURE) and establishment of independent social audit units and appointment of Ombudsmen in the States. State specific reviews of States 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. State/UT-wise details of category wise complaints are at Annexure-I.
(d) & (e): Yes, Sir. 27 States have established Independent Social Audit units. As per Management Information System (MIS), the total number of Gram Panchayats audited and total number of issues reported during the last three financial year and current financial year is as under:
Year Total number of Gram Panchayats audited Total number of issues reported
2016-17 62859 217357
2017-18 62853 217357
2018-19 106289 489088
2019-20 (As on 22.07.2019) 1517 11683
The reports of the social audited are uploaded in the MIS for taking further corrective action by the respective States.
(f): The Government has taken various steps to strengthen implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) from time to time. The details are as under:
(i) Implementation of National electronic Fund Management System (Ne-FMS), focus on Aadhaar Based Payment system, streamlining the fund flow mechanism and monitoring of timely payment of wages to workers have been on focus. Sustained efforts and intensive engagement with all stakeholders has enabled vast improvements in timely payment of wages.
(ii) Wage and material ratio 60:40 was allowed at district level rather than GP level. This has enabled a new thrust on creation of durable assets that generate incomes.
(iii) Followed a policy of indicative determination of Labour Budget (LB) allocation to the States based on SECC-2011 data so as to give more weightage to States having higher percentage of vulnerable households.
(iv) The convergence of MGNREGS with departments like agriculture, forest, horticulture, fisheries, sericulture, animal husbandry, FFC/SFC grants to Panchayat, irrigation, railways, DWS, school education etc. at National, State, district and Panchayat level brought out greater synergy in the implementation of rural development programs.
(v) Capacity building of MGNREGA functionaries such as State Technical Resource Team / District Technical Resource Team / Block Technical Resource Team on Mission Water Conservation works, training on Geo-MGNREGA etc.
(vi) Job Cards (JCs) verification of MGNREGA workers to weed out the bogus and duplicates JCs.
(vii) Auditing Standards have been issued and States have been advised to establish independent Social Audit Units, conduct Social Audit as per Audit of Scheme Rules, training of Village Resource Persons for conducting Social Audit etc.
(viii) For improved planning, effective monitoring, enhanced visibility and greater transparency, GeoMGNREGA- a path breaking initiative that uses space technology for geo-tagging all the assets created under MGNREGS launched.
(ix) Software for Estimate Calculation using Rural rates for Employment (SECURE), an online an application designed and developed specially for estimate calculation of works has been implemented.
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