15-02-2013, 03:55 PM
Report of the Working Group on MGNREGA Towards Formulation of the 12th Five Year Plan
1Report of the Working.pdf (Size: 363.35 KB / Downloads: 78)
Introduction
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) aims at
enhancing the livelihood security of the people in rural areas by guaranteeing hundred days of wage
employment in a financial year, to a rural household whose members volunteer to do unskilled manual
work. The Act also seeks to create durable assets and strengthen the livelihood resource base of the
rural poor. The choice of works suggested in the Act address causes of chronic poverty like drought,
deforestation, soil erosion, so that the process of employment generation is on a sustainable basis.
The Act came into force on February 2, 2006 and was implemented in a phased manner. In
Phase I it was introduced in 200 of the most backward districts of the country. It was implemented in
an additional 130 districts in Phase II 2007-2008. The Act was notified in the remaining rural districts
of India from the 1st of April 2008.
Challenges in MGNREGS Implementation
Some major challenges have been identified by the Minister of Rural Development and listed
on the MGNREGA website for public discussion. These are :
1. MGNREGA provides a legal entitlement to manual work. If work cannot be provided on
demand there is provision for unemployment allowance. This demand driven legal entitlement
is not functional
2. MGNREGS has been unable to substantially reduce distress migration from rural areas because
workers do not have a timely assurance that work will be made available in the periods when it
is required
3. There are significant delays in payments to workers
4. The number of days of work provided under MGNREGS may not adequately meet demand
5. The quality of assets created under MGNREGA and their relevance to the livelihoods of the
poor is inadequate
6. MGNREGS is unable to assure payments of wages at the stipulated rate
7. The works executed under MGNREGS are not based on a strong particpatory grassroots
planning process.
Key Recommendations
Institutional Architecture
MGNREGS should be implemented by a autonomous society called the MGNREGS Mission.
At the national level the Mission should be fully accountable to the Ministry of Rural Development.
The Ministry of Rural Development should have a dominant presence in the governing body. The
Governing Body should also include members from the Central Employment Guarantee Council
(CEGC) and state representatives on a rotational basis. The Mission at the state level should be fully
accountable to the state department responsible for executing MGNREGS.
At the National level
· The National Mission should set up a National Management Team with leading experts from
fields relevant to MGNREGS implementation. The Mission will be headed by the Joint
Secretary MGNREGS as CEO of the Mission. The Mission will operate with adequate
flexibility to provide technical and administrative support for implementation of the scheme.
· There is need to establish the Technical Secretariat of the CEGC as provided for in the NREG
(Central Council) Rules, 2006. This Secretariat will enable the CEGC to fulfil its mandate under
the MGNREG Act.
· A nation-wide network of capacity building institutions will be set up to deliver, in a cascading
mode, with national, state, and district level units. The National Management Team will
supervise the performance of the capacity building network.
· The network will include CSO and academic/training institutions which have a strong track
record in field implementation, in addition to skills in training. The National Management Team
will need to create an effective network by seeking and encouraging committed and capable civil
society organisations (CSOs)/other institutions to participate.
At the State Level
· State level Missions need to be established similar to the National Mission. The State
Mission will provide support to the Nodal department on technical and administrative
issues. The Mission will have adequate operational flexibility and a facilitative HR policy to
recruit and retain a team of committed experts. The team composition may change over
time in response to evolving needs.
· State Governments currently recruit staff on a contract basis to support the District
Programme Coordinator (DPC)/Programme Officer (PO) in MGNREGS implementation.
The Working Group recommends such contractual employment be made by the State level
Mission.
Operational Processes
National Level
· The National Mission should develop a format to be used by the State Employment
Guarantee Councils (SEGC) for the submission of proposals for new categories of works
to be included in the list of works permissible under MGRNEGS. SEGC recommendations
should be based on a thorough analysis of why the new categories are suitable for
MGNREGS along with quality parameters and design details.
· The Labour Material ratio (60:40) should to be prescribed at the block level i.e. 60% of the
expenditure of all MGNREGS works within each block should be expended on wages.
· Separate SORs for MGNREGA based on work time and motion studies should be notified
by each state.
· The National Mission should develop guidelines and provide guidance to the States to
undertake time and motion studies for development of SORs.
· Effective working hours at MGNREGS sites should be pegged at 7 (i.e. 8 hours with 1
hour rest).
· Upward revisions of wages through the Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labour
(CPIAL) should be made annually by 31st July of every year. This will align with the timing
of supplementary budget estimates.
· The Ministry should develop a standard chart of accounts for MGNREGA (with a
provision for customization by states) and integrate the same into MGNREGA application
for effective accounting, online banking , reconciliation and updation of MGNREGA
management information system (MIS).