Rural ministry puts conditions before NREGA expansion
The NREGA is all set to be expanded to other parts of the country. But for this to happen, the states must fulfil some conditions set by the Union rural development ministry: social audits and 100 per cent muster roll verifications should be done. These conditions are based on the feedback on implementation of NREGA that the ministry got from various sources in the last nine months.

In a specific directive, the ministry has asked Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Orissa to take up special social audits and verifications of muster rolls. These states listed have been reporting large-scale use of contractors in works implementation as well as fudging of muster rolls. Reports of diversion of NREGA works to non-productive sectors have also come in. For example, in Bihar, road construction projects account for a vast majority of the works selected under NREGA. Here, contracts have been allocated at a high rate.

Another concern is the rising administrative cost of NREGA. The ministry has already agreed to increase it from 2 per cent to 5 per cent (Rs 753 crore annually from overall budget). Recently it circulated an advisory to all principal secretaries of the states, “Due economy should be exercised and expenses on luxury items, purchase of vehicles, expensive furniture and furnishings should be avoided.”
 

National water mission under NREGA
The National Water Mission will be transferred to the Union rural development ministry from the MoPR. The mission is yet to start operations and is at a conceptual level. The MoPR was preparing a proposal to operationalise the mission when the transfer order was issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.

The decision came because the rural development ministry is implementing NREGA, which has a major focus on water conservation. It mission will now be a sub-component of NREGA. According to officials in the rural development ministry, the decision will help in convergence of related schemes.
 

NREGA to be extended to Jammu & Kashmir
The Union Cabinet has approved a proposal for an amendment to NREGA 2005, which will make the Act applicable to Jammu and Kashmir as well. According to the amendment, the words ‘except the State of Jammu & Kashmir’ will be deleted from Section 1(2) of the Act. The government of Jammu and Kashmir -- keen on implementing NREGA -- had recently sent a proposal to the Union ministry of home affairs to extend the Act to the state. When the amendment comes into effect, NREGA will be implemented in 28 states.