Question : Evaluation of MGNREGS

(a) whether the Government is aware that under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREG), out of the 4,35,12,423 households that were allotted work in 2014-15, only 23,28,767 households or 5.35% of the total households have received work for 100 days;

(b) whether the Government is aware that only 6% of the total beneficiary households have received work for 100 days in the State of Kerala, if so, the reasons therefor;

(c) whether the Government has adopted measures for the effective implementation of the scheme, if so, the details thereof and if not the reasons therefor; and

(d) whether the Government proposes to reduce the number of days of promised work to all identified beneficiaries, if so,the details thereof and the reasons therefor?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI SUDARSHAN BHAGAT)

(a)&(b): Yes, Madam. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is a demand-driven wage employment programme. Not less than 100 days of employment are provided to registered workers upon receipt of their demand. The number of days of employment provided to a household depends on the number of days of employment demanded by the household. There are variations in demand for work on year to year basis. The demand for work itself is influenced by various factors such as rainfall pattern, availability of alternative and remunerative employment opportunities outside MGNREGA and prevailing unskilled wage rates.

(c): The Government is actively engaged with State Governments in establishing systems that ensure provision of work as per demand, transparency and accountability. To generate awareness about the provisions of the Scheme and to provide adequate employment opportunities to rural households under MGNREGA, the States/UTs have been requested for the following:

(i) Initiate appropriate IEC campaigns including wall paintings for wide dissemination of the provisions of the Act.

(ii) Expand scope and coverage of demand registration system to ensure that demand for work under MGNREGA does not go unregistered.

(iii) Organize ‘Rozgar Diwas’ periodically to capture latent demand under the programme and to disseminate awareness about the provisions of the Act.

(iv) Formulation of a specific plan to include special categories of vulnerable people viz. persons with disabilities, primitive tribal groups, nomadic tribal groups, de-notified tribes etc.

(v) Organisation of workers into labour groups to ensure powerful demand-side pulls for improving performance of MGNREGA.

(d): No, Madam.

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