Question : Delay in Payment of Wages under MGNREGS

(a) whether the Government is aware of the problem of delay in Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) payments much beyond the stipulated time limit;

(b) if so, the details of wages which were delayed beyond the period of 15 days laid down under the MGNREGS in the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise;

(c) whether the Government has taken any steps against the defaulting States/UTs in this regard, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(d) whether the Short Term CooperativeCredit Institutions have facilitated timely payments of wages for labour under MGNREGS, if so, the details thereof,State/UT-wise including Rajasthan; and

(e) the other steps taken by
the Government to disburse the arrears of wages under the scheme expeditiously?

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

(a) & (b): As per the Programme Management Information System (MIS), details of wages which have been delayed beyond the period of 15 days laid down under the MGNREGS to MGNREGA workers for last three years and current year are given in Annexure I. Cases of delay in payment of wages in States/UTs have been reported in the Ministry due to following reasons:-

• Internet connectivity for maintaining the programme database (MGNREGA-soft)

• Implementation issues like delay in measurement, inadequate staff, poor spread of banking infrastructure, etc.

(c): In order to ensure timely payment wages, Rules have been issued for timely payment of wages under which, it was suggested that clear accountability shall be fixed on the functionaries for timely performance of specific duties leading to payment of wages. All cases of delayed payment attract compensation @ 0.05% per day of delay, which is automatically calculated and paid by the State Government. The Ministry has been advising from time to time to the States to ensure that the compensation is paid to the workers. The Ministry has also initiated Electronic Fund Management System (e-FMS) which directly credits wages to the respective beneficiary accounts using the core banking system.

(d): Only those short term cooperative credit institutions are facilitating timely wage payments which are fully on Centralized banking system (CBS) and at par with the banking facilities like commercial banks.

(e): To reduce the delay in payment of wages under MGNREGA, a system of payment of compensation for such delays was brought in Para 29 of Schedule II of the Act. The States/UTs have been advised to ensure compliance with this provision. The following steps are taken to check the delays in wage payment:

(i) State Government has been advised to notify the ‘Rules’ and implement the system of compensation for delay in wage payment.

(ii) State Government has been advised to review and discuss with the Programme Officers periodically the issues of delayed payments.

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