Effective implementation of MNREGA in Madhya Pradesh
Bhopal: The image of Madhya Pradesh’s villages has changed as a result of effective implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. Employment has been made available to needy persons on a massive scale. Madhya Pradesh is on the top in the country in construction of permanent assets of public utility through MNREGA. Through MNREGA convergence, 58 percent permanent assets have been constructed, which is the highest in the country. Madhya Pradesh is registering better performances constantly at the national-level. As per latest quarterly report of the Union Government’s Delivery Monitoring Unit (DMU), Madhya Pradesh is among top 10 states in the country in 5 MNREGA categories. Quarterly DMU review report is prepared by the Planning Commission of India. As per DMU report for the month of December 2012, Madhya Pradesh stood 5th in total spending under MNREGA, 6th in making employment available to needy families, 6th in generation of mandays, 7th in the number of families accomplishing 100-day work, and 10th in generation of scheduled mandays.
Since last year till date Rs. 20,942 crore have been spent on beneficiary-oriented and community-based works. Of this, Rs. 12486.67 have been spent on unskilled labour. During the last year, employment worth 14972.75 lakh mandays was provided to needy rural labourers. Of these, employment worth 2733.41 lakh mandays was made available to scheduled caste labourers and 6528.52 lakh mandays to scheduled tribe labourers. As many as 43 percent women have been provided employment through MNREGA in Madhya Pradesh. The women labourers were provided employment worth 6478.83 mandays last year. Success has been achieved through MNREGA to prevent migration of labourers to other states in search of employment since they are getting 100-day employment in their villages itself.
Under MNREGA, 260360 Kapildhara wells have been constructed in the state so far and work on 83583 wells is underway. In the state, irrigation capacity has been increased at the rate of 1.5 hectare per well and over 3 lakh 90 thousand hectare land is being irrigated through these wells. The scheme has ensured farmers’ prosperity even in the remote areas. Positives changes have been brought about by Kapil Dhara wells in the livelihoods and living condition of the farmers of the areas devoid of irrigation facilities and depending on rains only. The State Government has also conducted the proceedings through patwaris to register information of wells constructed under the Kapil Dhara Yojna in khasra-khatauni. The work of developing orchards on the private land of beneficiaries has been carried out successfully under MNREGA. Over 95 lakh 79 saplings have been planted under the scheme in 29821 hectare area during previous years. This has provided permanent sources of income to poor farmers and has lifted their living condition. The scheme has also proved to be beneficial in maintaining environmental balance.
Bhumi Shilp Sub-Plan has also proved to be successful. During last 6 years, over 3 lakh 82 thousand works of bunding have been carried out in beneficiary farmers’ fields. This scheme prevented soil erosion and land & and helped in water conservation. Through MNREGA, works under the Kapil Dhara Yojna, 12 thousand works of levelling, nodep pit and Nandan Phalodyan have been accomplished in the fields of Forest Rights patta holder farmers and 23 thousand works are underway. These works have also provided large-scale employment to forest dweller beneficiaries. Through Sahastra Dhara Sub-Plan, large-scale works were carried out in the command areas of irrigation projects. So far, 700 works have been completed and 4000 field channels have been constructed. Through Nirmal Neer Yojna, about 26 thousand works have been carried out. Under it, tanks and well have been constructed in village as per community requirement, nullah bunding has been carried out in catchment areas, contour trenching, percolation tanks and well recharge while 16 thousand works are underway.
Through MNREGA, construction of serialised water structures has also been carried out on a large scale. So far, 13 thousand works of land and water conservation have been completed and 15 thousand are underway. These include construction of earthen or boulder nullah bunding, rock filled dams, check-dams, stop-dams, gevian bunding, barrages, stop-dam cum causeways, and pick weir. Under MNREGA, work of developing sports grounds in schools has been carried out on large scale. Besides, a large number of gravel roads have also been constructed in remote villages through MNREGA convergence. Under convergence of MNREGA with the Panch Parmeshwar Yojna, cement concrete roads and drains are being constructed in all the 23 thousand Gram Panchayats. Through convergence of MNREGA with the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan, toilets are being constructed in 20 lakh houses with a view to improving sanitation and environment in villages. This scheme is proving beneficial in eradicating curse of open-area defecation.
Madhya Pradesh Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (Redressal of Grievances) Rules 2012 have been implemented with a view to making grievance redressal system under the MNREGA more effective. As a result of it, complaints are being redressed within the time-limit. CEOs of all the Janpad Panchayats have been appointed grievance redressal officers. They are also Programme Officers under MNREGA.
The State Government has decided to appoint 21 MNREGA Lokpals in seven divisions for monitoring of MNREGA works. Besides, vigilance cell has also been constituted in Madhya Pradesh State Employment Guarantee Council in pursuance of operational guidelines of the Union Rural development Ministry and a senior officer has bee appointed as the Chief Vigilance Commissioner.
For ensuring quality of works being carried out in rural areas under MNREGA, special inspection teams are also sent. Apart from spot inspections to ensure effective implementation of MNREGA construction works, exercise of accounting is also being undertaken. Responsibility of monitoring MNREGA works in various districts has also been entrusted to senior state-level officers. The State Government has also constituted Directorate of Social Audit for ensuring quality in construction works.
Technical teams are being sent from one district to another to enquire into serious complaints regarding errors and irregularities in MNREGA construction works. From September to December 2007, construction works carried out at Gram Panchayats in Sidhi district were intensively inspected. Action was taken against 100 officers found guilty in such case and recovery of Rs. 8 crore 32 was made from them. During the year 2011, intensive checking of 120 works was carried out. Disciplinary action was taken at the levels of the Shahdol Divisional Commissioner and the State Government.
In October 2012, information was received about errors and irregularities in payment of pending wages and construction works under MNREGA from Barwani district. A team of the State Employment Guarantee Council conducted inspection over there apart from the Chief Engineer, Rural Engineering Service. In the first phase, special technical teams carried out intensive checking in district’s development blocks Pati, Barwani, Pansemal and Niwali from November 25 to December 15. The teams inspected all the works costing above Rs. 3 lakh carried out from the year 2010-11 to 2012-13. Strict action was taken against 23 officers for negligence in work. Of these, 12 officers who were posted on deputation were sent to their parent departments. Besides, orders were also issued to terminate service of 11 contractual workers.
