Steps taken by GOI to make MGNREGS accountable

With a view to make the scheme more accountable, the following steps have been taken by the Ministry:

(i) States have been asked to deploy adequate number of dedicated staff with the implementing authorities. Administrative expenses, out of which salary of such dedicated staff is paid, have been enhanced from 4% to 6%.

(ii) ICT based MIS has been made operational to make data available to public scrutiny. The data includes details of Job cards, Muster rolls, Employment demanded and allocated, number of days worked, shelf of works, Funds available/funds spent and funds released to various implementing agencies, Social Audit findings, registering grievances and generating alerts for corrective action.

(iii)In order to infuse transparency in wage disbursement, payment of wages to MGNREGA workers has been made mandatory through their accounts in Banks/Post Office

(iv) Rolling out Biometric based ICT enabled real time transactions of MGNREGA workers to eliminate fake attendance and false payments.

(v) The Ministry has accorded utmost importance to the organization of Social Audits by the Gram Panchayats and issued instructions to the States to make necessary arrangements for the purpose. Modifications have been made in para 13 of Schedule-I of the Act to provide for procedures on conducting social audits. The Ministry has issued instructions to the State Governments for enforcement of the new social audit provisions under NREGA.