Question : Payment of Wages under MGNREGS

(a) the total amount disbursed on wages to the workers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise;

(b) the measures to prevent delayed payment of wages under MGNREGS;

(c) whether the amount of wages has not been released to some States/UTs for the past many months and if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise; and

(d) the measures taken to release the pending wage amount to various States including Kerala?

MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI BIRENDER SINGH)

(a): The State/UT-wise details of expenditure incurred on wages under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Scheme during the last three years and the current year are given in Annexure-I.

(b): 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 attracts a compensation @ 0.05% per day of delay, which is automatically calculated and paid by the State Government, to be recovered later from the functionary concerned. The Ministry has also initiated Electronic Fund Management System (e-FMS) which directly and electronically credits the respective beneficiary accounts using the core banking system.

(c)&(d): No, Madam. The funds for programme implementation including payment of wages to MGNRERGA workers are released to the States after verifying the performance, utilisation of funds released, and as per the agreed Labour Budgets. The State/UT-wise details of central release under MGNREGA during the last year and the current year are at Annexure-II. During the current FY 2015-16, Ministries has released funds to various States including Kerala, in the 1st quarter, after taking into consideration the pending liability of the FY 2014-15.


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