MAHATMA GANDHI NATIONAL RURAL EMPLOYMENT GUARANTEE ACT (MG-NREGA) WELCOME MAHATMA GANDHI NATIONAL RURAL EMPLOYMENT GUARANTEE ACT (MG-NREGA) State institute for rural development

Q.1 What is the objective of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA)? Ans. Mahatma Gandhi NREGA is an Act to provide a legal guarantee of 100 days of wage employment in a financial years to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. Mahatma Gandhi NREGA came into effect on February2, 2006. He/she will get wages as per the notified wage rate for Mahatma Gandhi NREGA in his/her state. These wage rates have been notified by the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India. Q.2 Who can apply for employment under the Act? Ans. All adult members of a rural household, resident in the area, willing to do unskilled manual work can apply. Even if a person is already employed/engaged in work, he/she has the right to demand employment under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA. Priority shall be given to women such that at least one-third of the beneficiaries shall be women who have registered and requested for work under the Scheme.

Q.3 What is the process of registration? Ans. A household interested in availing of the Scheme’s benefit has to make an application for registration through the prescribed written form or orally. The registration form and process are free of cost. Q.4 Who should the application for registration be made to? Ans. The application for registration has to be made to the Gram Panchayat or Block Office. Q.5 What is the role of the Gram Panchayat in the registration process? Ans. In order to authenticate the registration, the Panchayat verifies where the applicant resides in that village and is an adult. The unit of registration is the household. After verification, the Gram Panchayat will issue a Job Card to the household.

Q.6 What is a Job Card? Ans. A Job Card is the basic legal document, which enables the registered household to demand guaranteed employment. The Job Card should be issued within 15 days of application and is valid for five years. The household Job Card will have the name and photograph of each registered member. The Job Card and photograph are free for the applicant. Q.7 Does a Job Card automatically entitle a person to receive employment? Ans. No. In order to get employment the person will need to apply for work. Q.8 How can one apply for work? Ans. To get employment, the job seeker should submit a written application to the Gram Panchayat or Programme Officer (at block office). Within a households’ entitlement for 100 days, individual members can apply for work. The demand has to be for at least 14 days of continuous work.

Q.9 Does the applicant receive an acknowledgement of his work application? Ans. Yes. The Gram Panchayat should issue a dated receipt for the application. Q.10 How many days can a person get work for? Ans. Under the Act, a household is entitled to 100 days of work in a financial year. This entitlement of 100 days can be shared within the household, more than one person in the household can be employed simultaneously or at different times. Q.11 How will the applicant receive information on the given employment? Ans. The Gram Panchayat/Programme Officer should send letters to the applicants informing them where and when to report for work. A public notice displayed at the Gram Panchayat and at the Programme Officers’ block office, should provide information on the date, place of employment and the names of those provided employment. Q.12 What happens if employment is not given? Ans. If the job seeker does not get employment within 15 days of submitting the application or from the date when work is sought, whichever is later, a daily unemployment allowance has to be paid as per the Act.

Q.13 What happens if the applicant does not report to work within 15 days? Ans. If the applicant does not report to work within 15 days of being notified, he or she will not be entitled to the unemployment allowance. The applicant can however, reapply for work. Q.14 Where will work be provided? Ans. Work should be provided within 5km. of applicant’s residence. If employment is provided beyond 5km radius of the applicant’s residence then he/she is entitled to 10% additional wages towards transport and living expenses. Persons older in age and women shall be given preference for work nearer to the village. Q.15 What facilities are to be made available to workers at work sites? Ans. Work site facilities include safe drinking water, shade for children and periods of rest, first-aid box for emergency treatment of minor injuries and other health hazards connected with work. If more than five children below six years are present a person should be engaged to lock after them.

Q.16 What type of work will be given? Ans. Creation of durable assets and strengthening the livelihood resource base of the rural poor shall be an important objective of the Scheme. Work through contractors is not permissible. The kinds of works permissible according to priority are: Water conservation and water harvesting Drought proofing (including afforestation and free plantation) Irrigation canals including micro and minor irrigation works. Provision of irrigation facility, horticulture plantation and land development facilities to land owned by households belonging to the Schedule Castes and Scheduled Tribes or below poverty the families or to beneficiaries of land reforms or to the beneficiaries under the Indira Awaas Yojana of Government of India or that of the small farmers or marginal farmers as defined in the Agriculture Debt Waiver and Debt Relief Scheme, 2008. Renovation of traditional water bodies including desiliting of tanks Land development Flood control and protection works including drainage in water logged areas. Rural connectivity to provide all-weather access. Construction of Bharat Nirman Rajiv Gandhi Bharat Nirman Kendra Any other work which may be notified by the Central Government in consultation with the State Government.

Q.17 What wage material ratio needs to be maintained in the selection of works? Ans. In the selection of works, a 60:40 wage-material ratio has to be maintained at the district level. Q.18 Is there a ban on contractors and machinery? Ans. The works under the Scheme are labour intensive. Contractors and machinery are not allowed under the Act. Q.19 What is the planning process followed? Ans. The Gram Sabha/Gram Panchayat have a central role in planning and execution of works under the Scheme. In the Gram Sabha meeting so convened, the Gram Panchayat will estimates the labour demand likely to be raised in the next financial year. Shelf of works to be taken will also be identified with priorities. Atleast 50% of the works in terms of expenditure should be executed by the Gram Panchayat. After consolidating the shelf of works into Village Development Plan, the Gram Panchayat will forward this to the Programme Officer for approval. The Programme Officer will approve within 15 days and submit plan to Intermediate Panchayat. The Block Plan and Block Labour Estimate will be submitted to the District Programme Coordinator (DPC). The DPC will consolidate the shelf of works into the Annual Work Plan for the District within a fortnight, while maintaining the priorities of the Gram Panchayat and Block. The DPC will formula the District Labour Estimate / budget and ensure entry intot he online MIS of the Ministry. The allocation of funds will be as per the approved labour budget after due discussions between the Ministry and the State Government.

Q.20 What wages will be paid? Ans. He/she will get wages as per the notified wage rate for Mahatma Gandhi NREGA in his/her state. These wage rates have been notified by the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India. Q.21 When will the wages be paid? Ans. Wages should be paid every week, or in any case ‘not later than a fortnight after the date on which such work was done’. Q.22 How will the wages be calculated? Ans. The workers are usually paid on the basis of time and task performed that is, nine hours of work including one hour of rest. Calculation of task is as per Schedule of Rates. Q.23 How will wages be paid? Ans. All payments of Mahatma Gandhi NREGA wages should be made through Banks/Post Offices, directly into the accounts of wage seekers. Separate individual accounts for women members of the household may be opened in the case of male headed households.

Cont. Q.24 What are the monitoring mechanisms for the Scheme? Ans. I. Monitoring at the level of the Ministry : The Ministry of Rural Development has set internal and external systems to closely monitor both physical and financial performance of state in implementation of the Scheme. These mechanism also assess the pace and quality of processes and procedures and identify critical issues that need to be addressed on priority. Internal Monitoring Management Information System (MIS): A web enabled MIS www.nrega.nic.in has been developed. The village level household data base has internal checks for ensuring consistency and conformity to normative processes. All critical parameters get monitored in public domain: a) workes’ entitlement data and docments such as registration, job cards, muster rolls, (b) shelf of approved and sanctioned works, works under execution, measurement (c) employment provided (d) financial indicators including wage payment. Monthly Progress Reports are submitted by districts on physical and financial performance. Cont.

External Monitoring Statutory Institutional Mechanisms Central Employment Guarantee Council (CEGC): CEGC has been set up at the National level with the statutory mandate of monitoring and reviewing the Act. The Council members visit different states to review implementation of the Scheme. Council members also participate in reviews, studies, and trainings and social audits. Comptroller Auditor General (CAG) : The CAG has already conducted a concurrent audit of the Scheme. The Ministry has requested CAG to undertake another audit. Other Material National Level Monitors and Area Officers : The National Level Monitors, Area Officers and officials of the Ministry of Rural Development undertake annual field visits to Mahatma Gandhi NREGA Phase I, II, III districts. Review with States : Feedback on programme implementation is discussed and analysed with State Governments through quarterly Performance Review Committee meetings and periodic state level reviews. Professional Institutional Network and other Research Studies : A Professional Institutional Network (PIN) has been constituted for steady, sustainable interventions that enhance the quality of the programme. The institutions will conduct impact assessment, concurrent monitoring and appraisal, research, capacity building to identify both good practices factors that have or will limit the optimal performance of the Scheme. The main focus will be on strengthening the capacity of the district to implement the programme and create positive impact. Eminent Citizens : A group of 100 eminent citizens are being nominated to monitor the implementation of the Scheme across the country. Cont.

II. State Level, District and Gram Panchayat level Works should be inspected 2% at state level, 10% at district level and 100% at block level. The Gram Sabha will elect members of Vigilance Monitoring Committee for every work sanctioned under the Scheme. VMC will be composed of members of the locality or village where the work is undertake. The Gram Panchayat will monitor works executed by other Implementing Agencies, muster rolls maintained by them at worksites, and the payments made. The state, district and block will also monitor all aspects of the Scheme closely. District-wise studies should be conducted or commissioned by the State Employment Guarantee Council. Block-wise evaluation studies should be conducted or commissioned by DPC.

Q.25 What are the other measures to ensure transparency and accountability in the Scheme? Ans. i) Ombudsman : An Ombudsman for effective grievance redressal is being instituted for each district. Ombudsman will be an agency independent of the central or state government. ii) Social Audits : The Ministry had accorded utmost importance to the organization of Social Audits by the Gram Panchayats and issued instructions to the States to make necessary arrangements for the purpose. The Act was amended to provide for procedures on conducting social audits. iii) Helplines : The Ministry had set up a Toll free National Helpline 1800110707 to enable the submission of complaints and queries to the Ministry for the protection of workers entitlements and rights under the Act. These complaints are forwarded to state governments for action and monitored by the Ministry. In addition to the Ministry’s helpline, States and Districts are also in the process of setting up helplines for submission of complaints. iv) Proactive disclosure : All information on the implementation of the Scheme is available in public domain at http://nrega.nic.in. The Ministry has also issued executive directions to ensure Citizen Information Boards at worksites and display of information at Gram Panchayats.

THANK YOU …