The rural development ministry has pulled up some of the states over their poor performance indicators in the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
Concerned over results of indicators like generating average persondays per household, less spending than approved labour budget, non-payment of unemployment allowance and delay in payment of wages, the ministry asked these states to explain their poor show during the recent meeting of the performance review committee (PRC).
According to data available, against the national average of 34 persondays per household generated under the MGNREGA, states like West Bengal could achieve only 19, Punjab 21, UP 28 and Bihar 29. The act promises 100 days of employment to the beneficiaries but reaching even half the mark has remained a big challenge. Similarly, against approved labour budgets for the financial year 2010-11 many states achieved below target. For instance, against a labour budget of `41 lakhs, Andhra Pradesh could spend only `39 lakhs, Rajasthan could spend only `55 lakhs against labour budget of `75 lakhs, Uttar Pradesh could spend only `40 lakhs against labour budget of `68 lakhs and Madhya Pradesh could spend only `28 lakhs against labour budget of `48 lakhs. Besides these shortcomings, the PRC also expressed concern over non-payment of unemployment allowance to the workers and delay in payment of wages. Data showed against total of `2,2,44,499 due as unemployment allowance, the payment made by the states was only `1,68,549.
Sources said the PRC also took note of cases of delayed payment of wages, delay in measurement of work, lack of staff to oversee the works, and limited number of banks and post offices to facilitate wage payment through bank accounts. “These bottlenecks continue to affect the implementation of the MGNREGA, aimed to provide sustenance to the poor when they are jobless,” said a senior official.