• PM takes exception to road construction under NREGA
• SHGs to disburse payment under NREGA
• Ministry asks MPs to fine-tune NREGA
• MoRD asks states to wind up SGRY
• CAG measuring impacts of NREGA

PM takes exception to road construction under NREGA

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has criticised the Karnataka government for taking up road construction work under NREGA. “I find that in your utilisation of funds under NREGA, over 28 per cent is being spent on rural connectivity for which the Centre separately funds the rural roads programme,” he told state officials while reviewing the agriculture sector. Singh also directed the state to use NREGA funds for taking up soil and water conservation and improving productivity.

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SHGs to disburse payment under NREGA

Amid reports of delayed wage payment under NREGA, Andhra Pradesh has roped in self-help groups (SHGs) to partially take over disbursement of wages. SHGs will disburse wages on a weekly basis. While the state is already routing wages under the scheme through post offices, the delay in payments has been affecting the rural poor, whose only source of income, at times, is from work rendered under the scheme.

In Andhra Pradesh, 98 per cent of the wages under the scheme are paid through post offices and the rest through grameen banks. Under this initiative, each SHG federation will be provided Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh, which will suffice for around two weeks. Based on the musters, on each weekend, Rs 60 per workday will be paid to the workers.

The remaining minimum of Rs 20 (could be more) -- based on performance -- will be paid through the post office next week. This would reduce the delay time by a week. The model, which has been running successfully in Pulkal mandal of the state’s Medak district for the past three months, will be replicated in 100 mandals across 19 districts from the first week of August.

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Ministry asks MPs to fine-tune NREGA

Union minister for rural development Raghuvansh Prasad Singh will consult MPs during the monsoon session of Parliament to get ideas and feedback for making NREGA result-oriented.

After reviewing the implementation of the scheme in many states, Singh has already written to MPs in this regard. The ministry has convened the meetings following reports of absence of some MPs from the meetings of the District Vigilance and Monitoring Committees (DVMC).

During a recent meeting with MPs from West Bengal and the North Eastern states, Singh urged them to convene monitoring committee meetings and undertake field visits for ensuring proper implementation of anti-poverty programmes.

Singh has also urged MPs to undertake muster roll verification for effective implementation of NREGA. The minister will meet all MPs till the first week of September 2007.

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MoRD asks states to wind up SGRY

The Union ministry of rural development (MoRD) has asked states to wind up the Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana (SGRY) in districts where NREGA is currently being implemented. Works undertaken under SGRY will henceforth be merged with NREGA.

The ministry has directed the states to make a precise assessment of the status of SGRY works started before March 31 of the current year and to compile full details of such works. It has further notified that all incomplete SGRY works have to be closed by August 31, 2007.

The entire balance funds of SGRY as on August 31, 2007, have to be transferred into a separate account created for NREGA works at the district level. Those incomplete works, which are permissible under NREGA, can be taken up as new projects after following the due process of selection of works laid down in NREG

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CAG measuring impacts of NREGA

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India is conducting an evaluation of NREGA performance. The audit will scrutinise the complete process of implementation of NREGA -- from fund flow, record keeping, frequency of social audits to transparency measures adopted regarding expenditure. The exercise has been launched in 200 development blocks in 69 districts. A final report is likely to be submitted to the government by the end of October.
mployed under NREGA.

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