The
Ministry of Rural Development is making all efforts to ensure adequate fund
flow to the States / UTs under MGNREGS. It has released Rs. 40,480 crore so far
in this Financial Year which is around Rs 4,500 crore more than the release
during the corresponding period of the last financial year.
As per the financial
norms, after 30th September of every year, the States/UTs are
required to submit Audited Reports and Utilization Certificates (UC) of
previous financial year along with other requisite information in prescribed
formats for release of second tranche of funds. To facilitate the submission of
proposal for second tranche, the Ministry conducted a special Mid-Term Review
with the States and UTs during the period from 29th August to 13th
October 2017.
The submission of
complete proposal including Audited Reports and UCs is mandatory for ensuring
financial discipline. The Ministry has been scrutinizing the complete proposals
with promptness and has been releasing funds. Immediate action has been taken on
proposals submitted so far by Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu,
Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Jammu & Kashmir and proposals have been processed.
The Ministry has been constantly engaging with the rest of the States / UTs for
submission of proposals without delay.
The current Financial
Year is marked by the highest ever budget allocation of Rs. 48,000 crore. The
table below gives a glimpse of the revised estimate at the Centre’s level and
the expenditure in the States/UTs over the last 7 years.
|
Year
|
Budget (Cr)
|
Expenditure (Cr)
(Including State Share)
|
|
2011-12
|
31,000.00
|
37,072.82
|
|
2012-13
|
30,287.00
|
39,778.29
|
|
2013-14
|
33,000.00
|
38,511.10
|
|
2014-15
|
33,000.00
|
36,025.04
|
|
2015-16
|
37,345.95
|
44,002.59
|
|
2016-17
|
48,220.26
|
58,531.46
|
|
2017-18*
|
48,000.00
|
40,725.05
|
*
Figures as on 27.10.2017
The Government
has provided much higher allocations to the Ministry of Rural Development in
the last three years. As is evident from the table below, the allocation
to Rural Development programmes for creation of infrastructure, rural housing
and employment has gone up from 0.50% of the GDP in 2012-13 to 0.63% of the GDP
in 2016-17:
|
MGNREGA
& MoRD EXPENDITURE
Rs. Crores
|
|
Year
|
GDP at Current Prices
(2011-12 Series)
|
MGNREGS Exp.
|
% of GDP
|
Releases by MoRD for all
Programmes
|
Releases as % of GDP
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
|
2012-2013
|
9944013
|
39,778.82
|
0.40
|
50,161.86
|
0.50
|
|
2013-2014
|
11233522
|
38,552.62
|
0.34
|
58,623.08
|
0.52
|
|
2014-2015
|
12445128
|
36,025.04
|
0.29
|
67,263.31
|
0.54
|
|
2015-2016
|
13682035
|
44,002.59
|
0.32
|
77,321.35
|
0.57
|
|
2016-2017
|
15183709
|
58,531.46
|
0.39
|
95,096.04
|
0.63
|
There is no paucity of
funds for MGNREGS at this juncture. However, the Ministry has sought additional
funds from the Ministry of Finance for meeting additional requirements.
In line with the
directives of Hon’ble Supreme Court the Ministry is taking all steps to ensure
timely payment of wages as well as payment of compensation for delay in payment
of wages.
Due to constant
efforts, the situation has improved considerably. The timely signing of FTOs
has improved from 43.6 % to 84.9 %. Year wise status is given below:
The Ministry is also
regularly reviewing the process from the generation of FTO to the actual credit
of the wages into the accounts of the workers. It has been constantly following
up with Chief Managing Directors of Banks, NPCI, PFMS, Department of Posts and
Department of Financial Services to ensure credit of wages into the accounts of
the workers within 24 hours of release.
The Ministry is
constantly monitoring the status of payment of compensation for delay in
payment of wages with respect to amount not approved, amount approved and
payments made. As on date, out of Rs. 80.58 crore of approved delay
compensation since coming in force of the provisions for compensation for delay
in payment of wages, Rs. 51.40 crore have already been paid due to the constant
engagement with the states.
The Ministry had constituted
a committee for revisiting the existing wage rate linked to CPI-AL under the
chairmanship of Shri Nagesh Singh, Additional Secretary, MoRD. The committee
has submitted a report recommending the indexation of wages to CPI Rural. The
recommendations have been sent to the Ministry of Finance for consideration.
The Ministry has been
making it clear that there are no preconditions like Aadhaar number linkage to
bank account, uploading of photograph on electronic Job card or denial of work
to households not possessing toilets, for getting wage employment under the Programme.
All steps are being taken to ensure that all demands for wage employment are
met on the ground.
The Ministry is
committed to making adequate funds available for implementation of programme
and ensuring timely payment of wages along with greater focus on drought
proofing, agricultural & allied activities and diversification of
livelihoods.
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SNC