About Mahatma Gandhi NREGS

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (MGNREGA) notified on September 7, 2005 mandate 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. The programme is demand driven. The core objectives of the Scheme are the following:

  • 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, resulting in creation of productive assets of prescribed quality and durability
  • Strengthening the livelihood resource base of the poor
  • Proactively ensuring social inclusion
  • Strengthening Panchayat raj institutions.

The Phase I of the Scheme was notified in 200 districts of the country on 2nd of February 2006. Wayanad and Palakkad districts were included in the first phase of implementation. Subsequently, Idukki and Kasargod districts were included in the second phase notified as on 1.4.2007.  As on 1.4.2008, the Scheme was extended to the remaining districts.

The State right from inception has taken several steps to ensure quality and accountability in the implementation of the Scheme as follows:-
  • Hundred percent implementation of the Scheme is at the Gram Panchayat level
  • Each worker is required to open a Bank/Post office/Cooperative Bank Account and the wages are credited to the worker’s account. There is no joint account
  • Each ward is having a Vigilance and Monitoring Committee (V & MC) to oversee the implementation of the Scheme
  • The Gram Panchayat Secretary is the registration officer under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS. The GP Secretary is assisted by an Assistant Secretary in the implementation of Mahatma Gandhi NREGS. In addition, an accountant and a section clerk in the Gram Panchayat fully deals with the day to day affairs of the Scheme at the GP level.  Further, each Gram Panchayat is having two Village Extension Officers who also support the GP Secretary in the implementation of the scheme.  To support the Gram Panchayat Secretary, data entry operator cum accountants and Engineers/Overseers are provided on contract for a period of one year which can be extended by the GP. The selection of the contract staff vests upon the concerned GP.
  • Hundred percent mates are women
  • Presently the State is utilizing the services of reputed training institutes like KILA, ETCs, IMG, etc. for conducting training programmes in a cascading method.  The State utilizes the service of self-help groups (Kudumbashree) and neighbourhood groups for interpersonal communication to create awareness among rural people regarding Mahatma Gandhi NREGS
  • Government directed all Gram Panchayats to publish the Citizens Charter. The Charter should clearly spell out the responsibilities of the GP and the services available to the workers
  • All estimates are required to be prepared in the local language and should be demystified so that anybody can understand the provisions in the estimate
  • Government of Kerala notified the Grievance Redressal Rules under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS
  • Help Line is available in the District and State HQ
  • In the State, right from 2008, Government introduced a unique methodology in the preparation of Labour Budget and Shelf of Projects which starts from the Neighbourhood Groups