Increase work days, wages: Parliamentary panel urges revamp of MGNREGS

New Delhi: An independent survey of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) should be held to assess its effectiveness, a Parliamentary panel has suggested, stressing on revamping the scheme keeping in view emerging challenges.

In a report tabled in Parliament during the last week of the recently concluded Budget Session, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj has recommended increasing the number of days of work under the scheme to 150 from the current 100, and also suggested that wages be increased to at least Rs 400 per day.

The panel, which has been expressing concern over stagnation in allocation to the flagship rural employment scheme, has also stressed on social audits to ensure its proper implementation.

"The committee believes that a comprehensive national survey should be conducted to assess the effectiveness of MGNREGS," the panel headed by Congress MP Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, said.

It said the survey should focus on worker satisfaction, wage delays, participation trends and financial irregularities within the scheme.

"The committee recommends independent and transparent survey across the country to gain valuable insights about the programme's shortcomings and introduction of necessary policy reforms accordingly to increase the effectiveness of MGNREGS," the report said.

The panel stressed on a need to revamp the scheme and said while at present, the provision is to provide 100 days of employment, there are demands from various quarters to increase the number of days.

"The scheme needs to be revamped, keeping in view the changing times and emerging challenges. The committee urges the ministry to explore the options that could increase the number of guaranteed working days under MGNREGA to at least 150 days from the current 100 days," the committee said.

The panel also recommended that for climate mitigation and disaster relief, the current work limit of 150 days under the Drought Relief Provision must be increased to 200 days.

It said while directive has been issued to provide 150 days of wage employment under MGNREGA for Scheduled Tribe households living in forest areas, work limit under the Forest Rights Act should also be extended from 150 to 200 days to ensure income stability for vulnerable communities.

Expressing concern over the failure of wages to keep up with inflation, the committee said base wage rates under the MGNREGS should be revised to ensure they align with the current economic realities and provide "respectful wages" to rural workers.

"At least Rs 400 per day should be provided as wages, as the current rates are inadequate to meet even basic daily expenses," they said.

Saying that there are "chronic delays in wage payments" the report recommended an increase in compensation rate for delayed wage.

The panel observed that social audits should be increased to improve transparency and accountability and urged the Rural Development Ministry to come up with a Social Audit Calendar.

Noting the high number of job card deletions, the panel said in 2021-22 approximately 50.31 lakh job cards were deleted due to minor spelling errors or mismatches in Aadhaar details.

Since then, the figures have not come down significantly and thousands of eligible workers are regularly being denied work under MGNREGS, it said.

"The committee strongly recommends that a system must be introduced by Department of Rural Development to allow manual verification and corrections so that workers are not unjustly removed from the programme," it said.

The Rural Development Ministry, in January this year, circulated a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) with guidelines regarding deletion and restoration of job cards.

In a written reply in Parliament, the ministry had said the SOP emphasises the importance of due process, including the publication of draft lists of job cards marked for deletion, verification at Gram Sabhas, and the right of appeal for affected workers. It also mandates the linking of job cards with Aadhaar to eliminate duplicate and fraudulent entries.