1. NATIONAL RURAL EMPLOYMENT GUARANTEE ACT 2005

2. Structure of the Presentation
NREGA Coverage
NREGA Process
Paradigm Shift: From SGRY to NREGA

3. National Rural Employment Guarantee Act,2005
For the enhancement of livelihood security of rural households by providing at least one hundred days of guaranteed wage employment in every financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work

4. NREGA COVERAGE Backward Districts(150) (Most backward
Ranked by Planning
Commission)
Phase I NREGA(200)
(commenced )
Phase II NREGA(130)
(extended on )
Phase III NREGA(266)
(notified on )

5. NREGA Process

6. Application for Registration
Step 1: Application for Registration
Unit of Entitlement is the Household.
Registration application made to local Gram Panchayat.
Application may be in a form prescribed or a plain paper
Prescribed form is free of cost and easily available at GP
Oral applications may also be submitted

7. Verification of the Registration Application
Step 2: Verification of the Registration Application
The Gram Panchayat will verify the application on the basis of:
(i) local domicile
(ii) All household members applying for registration are adult
- No discrimination is made in registration in terms of caste, creed, gender
- Single Women living alone may register independently
- NREGA is not confined to BPL families

8. Registration for Job Card
Step 3: After verification, the house hold will be registered
Unit of Registration: Household (HH)
The names of adult members applying will be noted Registration Register

9. Issue of Job Card Step 4: Issue of Job Card
Basic legal document valid for five years.
Enables registered household to demand guaranteed employment
Issued to a registered household as a whole
Household Job Card will have photograph & name of each registered adult member of the household on it
Cost of Job Card including photograph will be borne by the programme
Should be issued within 15 days of application.

10. Format of Job Card
Must have space for entering vital data that must be regularly entered that includes:
- Unique registration number
Days of employment demanded
Days worked
Amount paid
Job Cards issued will be entered in a Job Card register in the Gram Panchayat

11. Demand Process: Application for Employment
Step 5. Application for Employment
Household with Job Card has the right to submit a written application for employment to the Gram Panchayat
Any member may apply: More than one member of a family may apply at the same time (subject to 100 day family entitlement)
Applicant may chose the time and duration when employment is sought
Application must state day from which employment is sought and duration
Application must be for a minimum of 15 days of employment

12. Guarantee Process : Acknowledgement of Application for Employment
Step 6: Issue of Dated Receipt
Employment application will be entered in an Employment Register in the Gram Panchayat
The Gram Panchayat has to issue a Dated Receipt of the written application for employment

13. Guarantee Process :Allocation of Employment
Step 7: Allocation of Employment
Employment within 15 days of work application or date from which employment is sought, which ever is later
If applicant does not report for work no unemployment allowance payable
Can reapply
Employment within 5 km radius of village.
10% of the wage rate as extra wages paid if distance more than 5 km
Intimation of work provided has to be sent in writing & through public notice at the Village Panchayat office

14. Payment of Unemployment Allowance
If Employment is not provided within 15 days, daily unemployment allowance, in cash has to be paid.
States will pay the Unemployment Allowance at their own cost

15. Planning of Works
Planning of works to allocate employment within guaranteed time
Works selected from the list of permissible works under Schedule I of the Act
Permissible works are as follows:
-Water Conservation
-Drought Proofing( including plantation and afforestation)
-Flood Protection
-Land Development
-Minor Irrigation, horticulture and land development on the
land of SC/ST/ -BPL/IAY and Land reform beneficiaries
-Rural connectivity
60:40 ratio of wages and materials to be maintained
May be maintained at the district level.

16. Planning Process
Decentralised, Participatory Process. PRIs principal role
Gram Sabhas Initiate Planning process and recommend works
Gram Panchayat consolidate recommendations of Gram Sabha into Village Development Plans and forward to intermediate Panchayat level
Intermediate Panchayat: Programme Officer will consolidate Gram Panchayat Plans into Block Plans with addition of works that cut across gram panchayats for approval of Intermediate Panchayat
District Panchayat: District Programme Coordinator will consolidate Block Proposals and proposals received from other implementing agencies for inclusion in the shelf of projects to be approved by the District Panchayat

17. Execution of Work Implementing Agencies
No fixed percentage allocation of works as in SGRY:50-GP/30 –IP/20-ZP
At least 50 % of the works has to be allotted to Gram Panchayats
Other Implementing Agencies:
-Other Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs)
-Line departments (PWD, Forest Dept.)
-NGOs
-SHGs
Private contractors are banned

18. Payment of Wages
Statutory minimum wage for agricultural labourers in the state, unless the Central Government “notifies” a minimum wage not less than Rs. 60/day
Wages paid weekly, or in any case not later than a fortnight
Only Cash

19. Mandatory Worksite Facilities
Drinking water
Shade
Medical aid
Creche if more than five children below age 6 are present
Note: These facilities are to be provided by the implementing agency

20. Public Accountability
GS will conduct social audits of all works taken up within GP
All accounts and records relating to the Scheme are to be made available for public scrutiny and any person desirous of obtaining a copy of such records may be provided such copies on demand and after paying specified fee
A copy of muster rolls of each work has to be made available at Gram Panchayat & to Programme Officer [at the Block level] for inspection by any person interested after paying specified fee
DPCs, Pos and GPs to Prepare Annual Report

21. EGS: Cost sharing Central Government to pay for:
wage costs,
75% of material costs, and
some administrative costs.
State governments to pay for:
25% of material costs
other administrative costs,
unemployment allowance.

22. Paradigm Shift: From SGRY to NREGA

23. Other Wage Employment Programmes(SGRY)
Issue
Other Wage Employment Programmes(SGRY)
NREGA
Status
Programme
Statute
Focus
Infrastructure
Employment generation
Process
Supply led. Works opened by implementing agencies & then labour is engaged
Demand-based. Application by Wage seekers for employment and then works are opened
Labour
Any one can be engaged as labour
Only Job Cards holders that apply for employment
Time frames
None
Employment within 15 days of demand,
Payment within 15 days of work
Duration of Employment
Dependent on duration of work by implementing agency
Legal Guarantee of as many days of employment as a job card holder applies for, subject to maximum 100 days

24. Other Wage Employment Programmes(SGRY) NREGA
Issue
Other Wage Employment Programmes(SGRY)
NREGA
Nature of works
Any work
No 60:40 ratio of wage -material
60:40 ratio of wages and material
Permissible works:
Financial Support
-25% State share
-75% Centre share
-Fixed Allocation to State
-Fixed share to
each PRI tier:
20%-ZP
30%-IP
50%-GP
-Demand Based.
-No fixed allocation to State
-No fixed allocation to PRI.
Incentive structure in the release of Central share
Central Funds are released on the basis of Demand for employment received in a district and the districts provision of guaranteed employment within 15 days.
90% assistance from Centre if employment is provided within 15 days of demand.
If not, then State will pay unemployment allowance at its own cost.

25. Thematic Discussion

26. Roles, functions and responsibilities of key agencies

27. Agencies with Critical Functions
Gram Sabha:
Panchayats: Principal agencies for planning and implementation
Gram Panchayat : basic unit of implementation.
In each Block, a Programme Officer is to coordinate the implementation of EGS
District Programme Coordinator at district level:Collector /CEO
State Employment Guarantee Council

28. Functions related to Demand for Employment GP
DPC ZP PO IP GP
Building Awareness among community
***
****
Receiving applications for registration
Verifying
applications for registration
Issue of Job Card
Receipt of employment application
Issue of dated receipt
Allocation of employment within 15 days of demand
Unemployment allowance

29. Functions related to Planning of Works
DPC ZP PO IP GP
Other implementing agencies
Gram Sabha
Convening Gram Sabha for Planning works
****
Recommending works(Village)
Consolidating Gram Sabha recommendations into Village Plan
Forwarding Village Plan to Block
Consolidating GP recommendations into Block Plan
***

30. ** *** **** Functions related to Record, Report, Review, Redressal
DPC ZP PO IP GP
Other Implementing agencies
Gram Sabha
Village Registers **
MPR
***
Data consolidation
computerisation, reporting
Annual Report
Quality monitoring &Control
****
Social audit
Grievance redressal

31. Functions related to Planning of Works
DPC ZP PO IP GP
Other implementing agencies
Gram Sabha
Recommending works(Inter GP) **
Approving Block Plan
Forwarding Block Plan to District
Including works proposals from other implementing agencies
***
Consolidating IP recommendations into District Plan

32. Functions related to Planning& execution of Works
DPC ZP PO IP GP
Other implementing agencies
Gram Sabha
Approving District Plan
****
Getting Technical estimates made for approved works **
***
Muster roll issue
Muster roll maintenance
Measurement
Wage Payment
Job Card entries

33. Functions related to Capacity development &Fund Management
State
Govt
DPC ZP PO IP GP
Other implementing agencies
Training
***
*****
Personnel Placement
****
Fund management
Provision & release of State Share
Release of funds to PO/IA
Accounts
Fund Release to implementing agencies/Accounts
Payments/

34. Deployment and Training of Personnel

35. Positioning key personnel
District Programme Coordinator( DPC )
Programme Officer (P.O.)
A Gram Rozgar Sewak at the GP level (local, 12th pass)
- Registration
-Verification of registration applications
- Issue of Job Cards
- Receiving applications for employment
- Issue of dated receipts for employment applications
-Reporting Demand to the Programme Officer so that work may be allotted to the implementing agency
- Informing the applicants to report for work
- Ensuring payments are made on time to the workers.
- Reporting work progress and all other matters to the Programme Officer on a regular weekly basis.

36. Key Functional Areas for deployment of additional full time dedicated personnel
Level
Key Functional Areas
Personnel to be deployed GP
1 Gram Rozgar Sewak for each GP
Block
Programme management
1 Programme Officer for each Block
Works
Technical assistants pooled to service GPs
IT , MIS
Computer Assistants
Finance
Accountant.
Distt
Manager, Technical assistants
Manager, Computer Assistants

37. Full time & dedicated to NREGS Contract/Deputation No permanent posts
Level
Key Functional Areas
Personnel to be deployed
Distt
Finance
Accounts Manager with
Accounts assistants
Training
Training Coordinator
Social Audit, Grievance redresssal
Coordinator
All personnel to be:
Full time & dedicated to NREGS
Contract/Deputation
No permanent posts

38. Administrative expenses permissible under the 4% financial limit
Information Education Communication (IEC)
Training
MIS
Quality supervision: This includes monitoring and verification (specially muster roll verification) evaluation, Social Audit. Quality Monitors at the State, District and Block levels.
Setting up grievance redressal systems
Engaging professional services
Operational Expenses: Office expenses related to the implementation of NREGS
Stationery related to computational processes/MIS.
Additional Staffing dedicated to NREGS in key functional areas of the Scheme at the Gram Panchayat/Block/District levels

39. Expenditure not permissible under the 4% administrative limit
Salaries/ remunerations/honoraria of functionaries already engaged by the Government/ PRIs / any other implementing agency.
Personnel, other than indicated by the Ministry.
Purchase of new vehicles and repair of old vehicles.
Civil works

40. Administrative expenses apart from 4% limit
Expenditure on workers engaged to look after crèche on site/carry water
- To be separately charged to unskilled wage cost
-Not to be included as part of the work – measurement.
One time expenses: Separate from the 4% permissible limit.
-Preparation of Perspective Plan
- Printing of job cards, photography
-Augmentation of computational facilities at the Block and district level.
-Almirahs for record-keeping and functional furniture at GP, Block and District-levels

41. Administrative expense as function of total expenditure
4% administrative expense: a function of the total expenditure under NREGA resulting into creation of person days in a financial year
Need for a Management Plan to monitor total programme expenditure and outcomes to leverage appropriate management support to it

42. Training Key Functionaries for their Roles and ResponsibilitiesGP
Block
District
GP members
IP members
ZP members
Panchayat Secy
Programme Officer
Line Depts
Gram Rozgar Sewak
Engineers
Mate
Computer personnel
Accounts personnel.

43. Activities under Training
Training calendar to be drawn up: Training load/Time
Training modules to be calibrated in content and process according to different stakeholders
Training materials:
- Act & National NREGA Guidelines in local language
- Manuals/ Hand books with FAQs
* on different components
*for different target groups
-Films
Osmosis Process for Training.
-District Resource Group
-Block Resource Group
-Village resource group
Integrated Groups of different stake holders for core components( Programme Processes)
Separate Groups for specific skill sets(IT/Works/Accnts)

44. Components of Training
Enabling Local Communities to know their
Rights under the Act
Procedures for registration and issue of Job Card
Procedures for employment application
Procedures for Planning and Executing Works
Maintenance of Muster rolls
Norms of Measurement
Wage Payment
Update of Job Cards
Maintenance of Records, data, Reports
Maintenance of Accounts
Unemployment Allowance
Social Audit
RTI

45. Impact Assessment of training
Concurrent assessment of the impact of the training programme to ensure that all key responsible agencies
- Understand the provisions of the Act,
- Their respective roles in it
- Have the skills to implement it.
Reiterative Cycles of training using the feedback

46. Social Mobilization Building Awareness and Involving Stakeholders

47. Building Awareness:Information, Education and Communication ( IEC)
Key Target Groups:
Local work force engaged in manual labour
Poor rural households
SC/ST/women/ minorities
Remote habitations
Drawing up an IEC Plan
Preparation of Communication material on NREGA processes in simple local language

48. Information Dissemination
An intensive One day orientation of all Sarpanches at the Block level
A Gram Sabha in every village to acquaint local people with the key provisions of the Act. Participation of beneficiaries be ensured
One day be fixed & publicised as Rozgar Diwas
Use of multi media;
TV and radio where ever possible.
Print media –local vernacular newspapers.
Pamphlets and brochures in simple local language with Graphics.
Local cultural forms, like puppetry, folk theatre and music may be used at the village level

49. Information Dissemination
District personnel teams mobilised to camp and night halt in villages
Information counters in the local Market days using audio-video material
Village Information Wall
NGOs to facilitate awareness generation
Help Line
- Telephone numbers of key officials publicized

50. Important aspects of NREGA for Communication
Guarantee of 100 days of employment upon Demand
Application Process for registration and Job Card.
Written application for demanding employment
Dated receipt of the application for employment by the Gram Panchayat.
Unskilled manual Work to be provided within 15 days of demand.
If employment is not provided within fifteen days of application, unemployment allowance will be paid by the State Government
Minimum wages for agricultural labour to be paid within 15 days of work completion
Workers have the right to check their muster rolls. .

51. Feed back on IEC
Every Gram Panchayat must give a certificate that it has convened a Gram Sabha in each village and acquainted the local community with NREGA provisions
Concurrent assessment of the effectiveness of IEC activities must be done and any deficiencies that come to light, must be removed

52. Outcome Indicators of effective IEC
Local community aware of NREGA and its key processes:
How and where to apply for registration
Use of job card for demanding employment and recording entitlements, job card with photographs are free of cost.
After receipt of job card, local community has chosen to apply for employment according to its own choice of time & days
Dated receipt for application for employment is issued
Authentic Muster rolls

53. Planning and Execution

54. Perspective Plan A 5 Year District Perspective Pan that must
-be village based
-Map Physical Resources available:
-Map social infrastructure available
-Identify Gaps
-Identify works that can be taken up as per NREGA permissible list
-Identify resources available for them under existing programmes
-Identify works and resources proposed to be budgeted under NREGA
-Assess labour demand
-Estimate employment likely to be generated from these works

55. Perspective Plan
Need to match:
-What local people want
&
-What will build their livelihood base
-Participation of local communities and PRIs
Professional expertise
Districts may engage professional agencies
Separate Guidelines for Perspective Plans will be issued
Separate funds for making Perspective Plan will be given to districts

56. Preparing a Shelf of Projects
The Perspective Plan will take some time to prepare.
In order to start work upon Demand, the District administration will ensure that each village has a shelf of projects.
NREGA is open to all households in a village. But experience has shown that mainly the poor households come for employment under NREGA.
Therefore, the number of works in a year in a village may be estimated by taking the village average of BPL families and deriving the total person days that will be generated by providing 100 days of employment to all these families.
Shelf of projects in a village must be adequate to meet twice the times of estimated demand for employment for a year

57. Preparing a Shelf of Projects
Each village must have a shelf of projects of at least five works with technical and administrative approvals, ready to be drawn upon when demand for employment comes
The plot numbers of the sites where works are to be executed should be mentioned, so that each work has a unique location code.
The shelf of projects at the village level will comprise small projects that can be quickly executed within one working season
Priority will be given to works that can be executed by the Gram Panchayat.
Only such works that involve more than one GP may be taken up at the Intermediate Panchayat level.
Outcomes expected from the works should indicate :
-Estimated benefits in terms of person days
- Physical improvement envisaged ( land/water conservation etc)
- Benefits to the community

58. Executing Works List of approved works to be displayed at the GP.
Technical estimates to be displayed at all work-sites in simple local language.
Mate for managing works: from among the Job Card holders.
Progress report by Implementing Agency to local vigilance committee.
Pre-Mid-Post Project condition to be recorded
Asset register at GP with unique number to each work to prevent duplication

59. Muster Rolls
Numbered Muster rolls will be issued for each sanctioned work by Programme Officer (this is a check on false muster rolls).
Muster rolls will be maintained on the work site by the executing agency.
Muster roll must mention Job Card numbers of workers (this is a check on false names and contractors).
Muster roll will mention: days worked, quantum of work done, amount paid
Muster rolls should be read out on the work site during measurement and wage payment to prevent bogus records
Entries of the muster roll must be correspondingly recorded in the job cards of the workers
If Line departments are identified as implementing agencies, they will have to be trained in undertaking labour intensive works and the maintenance of muster rolls for each work.

60. Measurement and Payment of wages
Schedule of rural rates based on work time and motion studies for labour intensive works should be formulated for measurement of work out turn.
Regular measurement and supervision of works to be done by qualified technical personnel on time.
Measurement to be recorded in authenticated measurement books.
Measurement details should be read out to workers
Wages may be paid in cash. Wages must be paid in front of the community.
Wages may also be paid through Post/ Bank accounts of wage earners.
Wages paid must be entered in the Job Cards.

61. Tracking number of days of employment
The number of days worked by all the members of a household whose names are on the job card person should have been entered on the muster rolls and the job card
The total number of days actually worked by all the members of the household and recorded in muster rolls and the household Job Card is counted as Person days
Do not divide total expenditure by wage rate to derive persondays
Total number of person days of a household cannot exceed 100

62. Key Document, Records and Reports

63. Key Documents and Records
Principal Documents:
Application forms for registration
Job Cards
Application Form for employment
Muster Rolls with unique number
Key Registers
Registration
Issue of Job Cards
Demand and provision of employment
Assets
Finance
Complaints.
Printed documents must be distributed to the GP, Block and District levels
All printed documents under NREGA will have the words National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, on top, followed by the name of the state
These documents are the basis of NREGA Data Base and Reports
Their Formats are compatible with electronic processing

64. Review & Reports
Regular Review
Once a Fortnight on a fixed day at Block by PO with Gram Rozgar sewaks
Once a month on a fixed day at District by DPC with POs
Once a month on a fixed day at State with DPCs
Collect and discuss information on NREGA. Problem solving
Monthly Progress Reports:
Employment demanded and provided
Persondays
Financial status
Works
Reports: on line MIS

65. Management Information System

66. Operationalising MIS
Priority to operationalising Web-based MIS to place all data in public domain
Workers’ entitlements: Registration, job cards, muster rolls, Employment demanded and provided
Work data: sanctioned shelf of works, work estimates, work in progress, measurement.
Financial indicators: funds available/spent, amount paid as wages, materials and administrative expenses.
Data software engineered, for cross verification of records and report generation.
Data Analysis for consistency and Alerts for District/Stats
Computerisation of Blocks: .computers& connectivity cost is additional to 4% limit
Personnel
Training
Computers
Connectivity:

67. Transparency Social Audit, Monitoring and Grievance Redressal Systems

68. Transparency Three Pronged -Proactive Disclosure
-Information upon Payment (RTI)
- -Social Audit
Proactive Disclosure
All NREGA-related documents to be available for public scrutiny:
*Key information in local language at GP level
*Muster rolls to be read out & pro-actively displayed at Gram Panchayat Office.
* Web-enabled MIS
Documents to be made avaialable to public on payment of prescribed fee.

69. Social Audit
System where local Community scrutinises all records and procedures of a programme, verifies its authenticity and whether the expenditure incurred has delivered its objective .
The Implementing agency is bound to provide all necessary documents
Social audit is in addition to the CAG audit
Should be both concurrent ( of live works) and Post completion
Social Audit by Gram Sabha of all works in a Gram Panchayat
GP to provide records
PO and DPC to facilitate through resource support: planning, training, ensuring access to records, follow -up

70. Steps for a Social audit
1). Setting up a Village Resource Group for social audit at to facilitate it
-Village monitoring and vigilance committee(5 members may be selected)
2) Training the resource group:
Initial training should be atleast a week: thorough understanding of
-Act
-Guidelines
-Social Audit Hand book and how to use it for collecting, verifying and recording information
3). Plan for social audit: To be drawn up by DPC
Conduct social audit twice a year: corresponding to working seasons

71. Steps for a Social audit
4) Prior Intimation: GPs to be informed three months in advance by PO
5) Records to be made available atleast one month before to the village social audit team
6) Scrutiny of records: internal cross checking & external verification with persons/works
7) Public Hearing and evidence Reading out the findings of social audit on a specified day in the social audit forum Concerned Officials to attend from district administration: engineers/accountants
8) Record of proceedings
9) Follow up by District administration. Action taken to be reported in the next social audit forum

72. Monitoring Output and Outcomes
Function
Activity
Output
Outcome
IEC
Block Level Convention for sensitising Sarpanches
Gram Sabha to acquaint local community with the Act
No of conventions held
No of Sarpanches oriented
No of Gram Sabhas held
Sarpanches well aware of the Act
Implementation in Conformity to legal processes
Wage seekers aware of their Rights and able to exercise them

73. Monitoring Mechanisms
Monitors for internal and external monitoring must be identified and trained at the State/ District and Block levels
100% verification of works at the Block level, 10 % at the District and 2% at the State level has to be ensured.
Local vigilance and monitoring committees to be set up and trained
Data Analysis and timely remedial measures
Follow up on feed back

74. Grievance redressal system
Complaints book at GP level
PO responsible for disposing complaints within 15 days
DPC must review on Monthly basis
Toll free Help Line

75. Fund Management

76. Fund Management
Dedicated NREGA accounts in a PSU Bank at district/Block/GP levels
DPC/PO and GP Secretary/Gram Rogar Sewak to be authorised to operate the account.
Demand Based release of Funds. No fixed allocation and installments
No allocations on a pattern to GP-IP-ZP as in SGRY
Estimation of fund requirement by implementing agency based on demand for employment
Cash Flow Management: to maintain 15 day payment cycle
Funds released by Centre :
-Initial installment on Labour Budget :Annual estimate of labour
-Incremental installments on specific proposals of districts based on physical and financial progress
- Financial claims to be moved when 60% of available funds used
Proposal must be signed by District Programme Coordinator

77. Fund Management Documents needed for release of next installment:
Proposal on prescribed form
UCs
Audit report for the last year(due on 30th September), in the original form
Bank reconciliation statement, in the original form.
Requirement of funds to be indicated in the covering letter.
Recommendations of State Government about specific amount required
MPRs on prescribed proforma should have been sent for all months in the year.
Non-diversion and non-embezzlement certificate.
Compliance report of any condition imposed earlier
Outcomes and output are mentioned in UC.
Conformity to NREGA Processes