Context:
Discrepancies in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MG-NREGS) have led to huge financial losses in some districts of Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
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The Internal Audit Wing (IAW) of the Union Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) has detected losses of ₹35.37 crore in three districts of Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh under the MGNREGS during 2023-24.
Virudhunagar district of Tamil Nadu alone has losses of Rs 34.02 crore, besides Rs 1.09 crore in Nagaur (Rajasthan) and Rs 26 lakh in Morena (Madhya Pradesh).
The IAW also detected a loss of Rs 5.20 lakh in the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awaas Yojana (PMAY-G) in the Pherzawl district of Manipur.
The IAW also highlights cases of wasteful and unauthorised expenditure of ₹15.20 crore on works under MG-NREGS, PMAY-G and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) across various states.
- All three schemes MG-NREGS, PMAY-G and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) are under the Department of Rural Development.
- Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) was launched in the year 2000 to provide all-weather road connectivity. Currently, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana -IV is launched for the financial year 2024-25 to 2028-29.
About Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)
- The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), also known as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) is Indian legislation enacted on August 25, 2005.
- The mandate of the MGNREGA is to provide at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
- MGNREGA was implemented in 200 districts in the first phase with effect from February 2006 and was extended subsequently to additional 113 and 17 districts with effect from 1st April 2007 and 15th May 2007 respectively. The remaining districts were included under the Act with effect from 1st April 2008.
- The Union Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), monitors the entire implementation of this scheme in association with state governments.
The core objectives of the MGNREGS are:
- Providing not less than one hundred days of unskilled manual work as a guaranteed employment in a financial year to every household in rural areas as per demand.
- Strengthening the livelihood resource base of the poor
- Proactively ensuring social inclusion
- Strengthening Panchayati Raj Institutions.