MGNREGA_SAMEEKSHA

64 MGNREGA Sameeksha
Figure 6.1
Main Issues (as per Interviews with Sample Beneficiaries) in MGNREGA Implementation
From Bihar, Gujarat, Kerala and Rajasthan
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Wages are less
vis-à-vis
workload
Frequent delays
in payment
of wages
Not enough
work available
Corruption and
malpractices
Any other reason
Note: The values on the y-axis represent a composite index which was calculated based on ranks given by the respondent to the
different variables. The number of respondents giving each variable a particular rank (1–4) was divided by the rank itself and the
totals were added to form the composite index for each variable.
Source: S. Verma, ‘Labour Market Dynamics in Post-MGNREGS Rural India’, Unpublished report shared with the Ministry
of Rural Development (MoRD), 2012.
additional staff and streamlining of fund-flow
procedures (see Chapter 7).
Payment through Banks and Post Offices and
Financial Inclusion
To ensure transparency in wage payments and
prevent misappropriations, the GoI mandated that all
MGNREGA wage payments should be made through
banks/post office accounts opened in the name of the
worker. As a result, nearly 10 crore bank/post office
accounts of rural people have been opened under
MGNREGA and around 80 per cent of MGNREGA
payments are made through this route. 45 Some states
in North-East India including Manipur, Mizoram, and
Integrated Action Plan 46 districts, after consultation
with the GoI, are still making payments in cash due
to logistic reasons, including, poor coverage of bank
and post office accounts and security reasons. Tamil
Nadu is the only other state that continues to make its
wage payments in cash.
The NSSO panel survey on MGNREGA in one
of its Rounds observed that in Andhra Pradesh, 83
per cent of the payment is being made through post
office, 4 per cent through bank accounts and around
6 per cent through smart cards. In Madhya Pradesh,
around 19 per cent of the payment is through post
office accounts and 19 per cent through bank accounts.
In Rajasthan, around 52 per cent is through post office
accounts and 49 per cent through bank accounts. 47
The opening of accounts has brought the poor
into the organised sector and in some cases provided
them with better access to credit. Despite clear
45
MGNREGA (Official Website) http://www.mgnrega.nic.in.
46
The Government of India introduced a scheme for the development of viz. the Integrated Action Plan. The idea was to
provide additional Central Government support in implementing development schemes, including infrastructure, health,
drinking water, etc.
47
NSSO, Survey of MGNREGA, 2010–11.