Introduction:
Union Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh has suggested that State governments should also bear the financial burden of wages for the beneficiaries of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) to make them more proactive in controlling corruption. Meanwhile, activists and academics have expressed concern over the Ministry's order to make Aadhaar-based payment for wages mandatory, which would exclude 57% of the active workers.
MGNREGS :
- State governments should bear financial burden of MGNREGS wages to make them more proactive in controlling corruption.
- Aadhaar-based payment for wages becomes mandatory, excluding 57% of active workers.
- MGNREGS should not be treated as a regular employment scheme, according to Giriraj Singh.
- Government cannot compromise on transparency, says Giriraj Singh in response to a 100-day dharna by MGNREGA workers at the Jantar Mantar in Delhi.
- Union Budget allocation for MGNREGA cut by 33% compared to the previous year's revised estimates.
- Aadhaar-based payments could depress demand for work under the scheme and artificially reduce expenditure.
Conclusion:
The mandatory requirement of Aadhaar-based payments and the introduction of a mobile-based attendance capturing system has been criticized by activists and academics working under the umbrella body of NREGA Sangarsh Morcha. The new measures could further reduce the demand for work under the scheme, especially since the Union Budget allocation for MGNREGA has been cut by 33%.
