Reforms in NREGA will have to wait: CP Joshi -Governance Now

Reforms in NREGA will have to wait: CP Joshi

the RD minister says NREGA is an act of parliament; cannot be tinkered without its approval

Brajesh Kumar | August 27, 2010

A set of wide ranging recommendations submitted by the six working groups, the rural development ministry formed in March this year to monitor and review the working of the NREGA, will not be implemented anytime soon.

“Many of the recommendations submitted by the working groups needed to undergo financial and legal scrutiny before they are taken into ccount,” rural development minister CP Joshi said in a meeting with the members of the working groups in the capital on Friday.

The RD ministry had formed six working groups on- planning and execution chaired by tribal rights activist Rangu Rao; capacity building chaired by Prof Ashwani Kumar of Tata institute of social science; specific needs of specific category of workers and works to be taken up on individual land chaired by former women and child development minister Renuka Choudhari; wages chaired by noted economist and National Advisory Council member Prof Jean Dreze; transparency and accountability chaired by Aruna Roy.

The group had submitted wide ranging recommendations, that, if implemented would have far reaching impact on the working of NREGA.

Aruna Roy recommended that the social audits in the Gram Panchayats should be conducted by a third party and not the Sarpanch himself. Jean Dreze in his recommendations stressed the need to link wages under NREGA with Consumer Price Index. Ashwini Kumar called for a calibrated response to build a framework for implementation of recommendations.

Some other recommendations given by the groups included- increasing the number of days from 100 to 365 in maoist affected districts, opening of more post offices along with ATMs in rural areas.

However with the minister expressing his inability in implementing the recommendations anytime soon, the reform in NREGA will have to wait.

"NREGA is an act of parliament, and therefore the ministry cannot tinker with any of the provisions without the approval of the parliament," said an official.

The minister however assured the members that the delays and denial in payment of wages was the primary concern and would be addressed soon.

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