Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)

M ANDATE

The mandate of the Act is to provide at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.

The Scheme aims at social protection for the most vulnerable people living in rural India by providing employment opportunities, livelihood security for the poor through creation of durable assets, improved water security, soil conservation and higher land productivity, drought-proofing and flood management in rural India, empowerment of the socially disadvantaged, especially women, Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Schedules Tribes (STs), through the processes of a rights- based legislation, strengthening 1ecentralized, participatory planning through convergence of various anti-poverty and livelihoods initiatives, deepening democracy at the grass-roots by strengthening Panchayati Raj Institutions, effecting greater transparency and accountability in governance.

Thus, MGNREGA is a powerful instrument for ensuring inclusive growth in rural India through its impact on social protection, livelihood security and democratic empowerment.

MGNREGA IN UTTAR PRADESH

The scheme was launched in Uttar Pradesh on 2nd February, 2006. The scheme has been launched in a phased manner. In first phase 22 Districts, in the second phase 17 districts and in third phase all remaining districts have been taken up under the scheme. The financing of MGNREGA is done jointly by central and state governments. Central government provides 100% share in case of unskilled labour. In case of material component the funding is done by central and state governments in the ratio of 75:25 respectively.

CONVERGENCE

The primary objective of the MGNREGA is generating/augmenting wage employment. Its auxiliary objective is to strengthen natural resource management and so encourage sustainable development. Though the Gram Panchayat is the single most important agency for executing MGNREGA works as the Act mandates that at least fifty percent of the works in terms of cost under a scheme shall be allotted to GPs for implementation, the emphasis has been laid upon creation of durable assets through convergence of MGNREGA works with resources of other programmes/schemes available with Panchayats and other line departments. These resources are not restricted to availability of funds but include technical expertise and knowhow that officials of the line departments may be endowed with.

In Uttar Pradesh various departments like Forest, Public Works Department, Panchayati Raj, Horticulture, Irrigation, Minor Irrigation, Sericulture, ICDS, and Youth welfare are working under MGNREGA Convergence to achieve the goal of creation of high quality durable assets under the scheme. In current financial year a State Convergence Plan of Rs. 2946.30 cr. has been sent to Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India.

INITIATIVES

In Uttar Pradesh e-FMS has been launched to enhance transparency in the scheme. From 1 st January 2014 e-FMS has been implemented in all districts of Uttar Pradesh. With this system in place, every working agency has been connected to a state level bank account to ensure timely availability of funds.

In Uttar Pradesh MGNREGA Cell, a 24×7 helpline has been established for registration of demand and complaints. This helpline is operated through a toll free no. 1800-180-5999. Any person willing to work in MGNREGA can register his/her demand by a phone call. He/she can register through sms and website as well. To register through sms, the contact no. is 9235000055 and for registration through website, the address is www.mgnregaupsamvedan.in.

The scheme is fully online. Anyone can see NREGA activities/progress on the NREGA national website www.nrega.nic.in . Every measurement, every payment, photographs related to projects, bank account details etc. have been kept in public domain through this website to make them visible to everyone. ……………………..