PSC recommendations for MGNREGS
Context:
Recently, the Parliamentary Standing Committee (PSC) on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj has recommended a few reforms in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
Relevance:
GS-02 Government Policies & Interventions
GS -03 Inclusive Growth
What is the issue?
- The wages under the scheme do not keep up with the inflation, which affects the purchasing power of rural workers.
- Uncertainty in the 100-day wage guarantee due to rising natural calamities, which is also affecting their livelihood.
- The workers also face delays in their wage payments due to technical glitches in the Aadhaar-based payment systems (ABPS). Most of them even face problems with their Aadhaar details, or frozen bank accounts, etc.
- The unemployment allowance that the persons get when they don’t get work within 15 days of applying is mostly not paid.
Recommendations by PSC for Reforming MGNREGS
- It has been recommended to increase the number of working days from 100-150 days.
- To link wage rates to an inflation index that reflects a rise in rural living costs.
- Suggested an alternative payment system along with APBS to reduce the inconvenience.
- National Mobile Monitoring System (NMMS):
- Conduct awareness campaigns and training to help beneficiaries effectively use NMMS.
- Maintain alternative attendance methods to prevent exclusion due to technological challenges.
- Leverage NMMS to enhance attendance tracking and improve transparency and accountability.
