GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
Ministry of Rural Development
DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT 

RAJYA SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. *99
ANSWERED ON JULY 14, 2014

QUESTION
Fall In The Demand For Work Under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)

 *99. SHRI RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state;

(a)   whether there is a fall in the demand for work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) based on the employment provided to households:

(b)   if so, the details thereof State and Union Territory-wise:

(c)    whether Government plans to continue with this scheme: and

(d)   if so, how Government plans to revive this scheme?

ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI UPENDRA KUSHWAHA) 

(a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

 Statement referred to in reply to Rajya Sabha Starred Question No. *99 due for answer on 17.7.2014

 (a) There are variations in demand for work year to year, depending on seasonal factors. But there is no steady decline. The wage employment provided has increased from 218 .76 crore person-days in 2011 -12 to 219.72 crore person-days in 2013-14. The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is a demand driven programme; and the demand for work itself is influenced by various factors such as rainfall pattern, availability of alternative and remunerative employment opportunities outside MGNREGA and prevailing unskilled wage rates. Government remains actively engaged with State Governments in establishing systems that ensure provision of work as per demand and along with transparency and accountability.

 (b) State/UT-wise details of households provided employment and number of person-days generated under MGNREGA during the last three years and current year are given in Annexure.

 (c) Yes Sir.

 (d) To further improve implementation of MGNREGA, Government has formulated the following action plan:

 Improving the quality of assets by better planning and technical supervision, greater facility for taking up larger and durable assets, including convergence with other departments.

• To reduce delays in payment of wages under MGNREGA a system of payment or compensation for such delays was brought in Para 29 of Schedule II of the Act. The States have been advised to ensure compliance with this provision.
• States have been asked to universalise the operationalisation of electronic Fund Management System to ensure smooth flow of funds from the State to the wage seekers and to eliminate delays in payment of wages.
• To control irregularities in implementation, the States and UTs have been asked to implement Social Audits more vigorously and in a manner that allows greater transparency and public scrutiny.
• States have been requested to put in place Ombudsmen in every district to hear and resolve grievances. The Vigilance and Monitoring Committees have been constituted at the District and State levels to monitor the schemes.

 Annexure

Annexure referred to in reply to parts (a & b) of Rajya Sabha Starred Question No. *99 due for answer on 14th July, 2014