Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development: MGNREGS Assessment
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development, led by Congress MP Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, has highlighted the need for a comprehensive survey to evaluate the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and its effectiveness.
Key Recommendations
- Independent Survey:
- Focus on examining worker satisfaction, wage delays, participation patterns, and financial irregularities.
- The survey should inform necessary policy reforms to enhance the scheme's effectiveness.
- Inconsistent Participation:
- Address the uneven participation of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and women workers.
- Conduct district-wise studies to ensure equitable work opportunities and benefits for marginalized communities, fulfilling the scheme's goal of social and economic inclusion.
- Increase in Working Days:
- Recommend increasing the guaranteed working days from 100 to at least 150 days to adapt to “changing times and emerging challenges.”
- Wage Payment Delays:
- Address chronic delays in wage payments causing uncertainty for workers.
- Propose increasing the compensation rate for delayed wages from the current 0.05% of unpaid wages.
Previous Review and Observations
In 2022, a panel headed by former Rural Development Secretary Amarjeet Sinha was appointed to review MGNREGS, especially focusing on inter-State variations. It noted the paradox where expenditure is lower in poverty-stricken states like Bihar compared to wealthier states like Tamil Nadu. The panel submitted its report in 2023, but its recommendations have not been implemented yet.
Conclusion
The committee stresses the importance of timely wage disbursal to maintain trust and ensure uninterrupted work execution under MGNREGS, reinforcing its role as a poverty alleviation tool and safety net for rural areas.
