A
consultation workshop on MGNREGS Reforms on the basis of the recently forwarded
note by Hon’ble Minister of Rural Development, Government of India was
conducted on 24 September 2011 at Hotel Raj Residency in Koraput by Foundation
for Ecological Security, Koraput. Members from Civil Society Organisations
directly and indirectly associated with MGNREGS implementation and facilitation,
officers from DRDA, Water and Sanitation Department, District Planning Department,
functionaries of OTELP, Banks, MGNREGS Ombudsman for the district participated
in the workshop.
The
workshop started at 11 O’clock with a welcome note by Mihir Kumar Jena followed
by a short deliberation on the purpose of the workshop by him. Mr. Siba
Khemundu, Sri Surendra Karan and Dr. Luna Panda were invited to the chairs.
Before
going to the presentation on the note of Hon’ble Minister Rural Development,
GoI, a presentation covering broader parameters and trend of MGNREGS in the
district through the years was made by Mr. Akshaya Kumar Limal, MIS &
Statistics Specialist of Analytical cell of District Planning and Monitoring Unit
of District Administration. The presentation comprehensively presented the
scenario of MGNREGS in the district and to the extent possible touched upon the
diagnostics and challenges highlighted in the note of Hon’ble Minister Jayram
Ramesh. Mr. Limal analysed the information available in the public domain
(NREGA website) and interpreted them in the context of the NREGS reform note.
Subsequently,
Mihir Kumar Jena representing FES presented on the MGNREGS Reforms as suggested
by Hon’ble Minister of Rural Development Mr. Jayram Ramesh. He elaborately and
lucidly discussed on each and every point in the note citing references from
earlier presentation and ground observations in the context of Koraput and in
the larger context of MGNREGS issues and challenges. Clarifications were given
with suitable examples from the field and situations in other States.
In the post lunch session
an open house session was conducted. The participants viewed MGNREGS as the
largest public investment for developing sustainable assets and rural
infrastructure; as the largest employment generation program in the Nation; as
a social safety net; as an entitlement empowering rural people; apart from the
fact that it contributes to the economic empowerment alongside better
management of natural resource base. Since inception of the Act through the
years as on date the implementation of MGNREGS has always been facing
incidental as well as persistent issues; at the same time it has opened up
discussions for constructive criticism and challenges igniting strategic
solutions and effective implementation on a convergence matrix.
After
the open house group exercise was made to work out any further suggestion to
make MGNREGS delivering better. Three affinity groups were made and each group
was assigned to work on three challenge areas. Each group presented their
suggestions after a thorough brainstorming. While there was absolute
affirmation and agreement to the note by Mr. Ramesh, some additional
suggestions were obtained that have been listed hereunder.
Suggestions from Group -1
(Working on Challenges 1,6 and 9)
- Awareness raising on MGNREGS as a
demand driven entitlement seems to be very relevant in the context of
Koraput as a huge chunk of people are not aware about the rights based
entitlement. However, modalities and framework for an effective awareness
generation be designed at the State level. In the awareness generation
materials focus should be given on the huge diversity of work under NRM
that MGNREGS can accommodate.
- To generate a good demand
initiatives are required from all quarters at the same time the labour
budget should be prepared religiously. The demand should go
proportionately with the labour budget.
- Weekly or fortnightly one day be
devoted at GP level to handle issues related to job demand and fulfillment
of matters related to muster rolls, etc.
- Transparency board stating the
budget outlay for the project, the labour and skill requirement, and
duration of work should be installed well before the project initiation
meeting which should be done rigorously.
- Modalities and mechanism to
strengthen vigilance committees should be devised. It should not be a
subject of only awareness.
- Capacity building under National
Framework of Capacity Building must be extended to all functionaries in
the system in a cascade model.
Suggestions from Group – 2
(Working on challenges 2,4 and 5)
- Micro-plans at GP level should
clearly reflect the vulnerability mapping, extent, issues and seasonality
aspects of the migrant labours.
There should be specific plan for migrants in the annual plan of
the district. Special plan chapter to reduce distress migration must be
given attention in the district annual and perspective plans.
Accountability structure at the administration level must be chalked out
to deal with the distress migration with MGNREGS in picture.
- Mechanisms should be developed at
district level to ensure predictability and confidence of migrant labours
on the system and to accommodate the skills of the people migrating out
for not getting work in their locality according to their skills.
- Regular information flow between the
block and the GP around issues of distress migration must be made a formal
affair. Quarterly reports on the issue should be produced at each block
level.
- Institutional mechanism at GP level
for tracking the out migration needs to be in place. GP must ensure
registration of the migrant labours with information on where they are
planning to go, with which labour contractor and should pass information
to the block to check the license and legality of labour contractor. At
the district level also there should be a labour migration surveillance
system.
- Modifications in the 100 days
entitlement is required to make the requisite number of days proportional
to earning members in a family
- The idea of demarcating a cluster
taking 15000 job card holders may be modified. Cluster demarcation should
be done on a natural boundary basis where in a range of 10000-15000 job
card holders may be catered. This is suggested from point of view that the
population density of Koraput is running far below the state average.
- About multidisciplinary teams at
cluster level – instead it be considered to constitute strong
inter-departmental team so that accountability can be better fixed and the
according to the options that a landscape offers the inter-departmental
team should decide their priorities.
Suggestions from Group – 3
(Working on challenges 3,7 and 8)
- MIS must be maintained at GP level
and transparency board must be installed and maintained to reflect the
payment situation against work and date. If payment against a work done is
delayed for more than 10-15 days then disciplinary action must be
initiated against the concerned functionary.
- Templates or time chart stating the
stages and time duration to process for payment must be widely publicized.
- GP level monitoring committee
involving NGOs should be empowered to make the system accountable against
issues and situations.
- Plan preparation should be taken up
religiously involving technical and resource persons. Resource persons
must be identified and empowered to lead a planning team composing
official functionaries and community members. Technical scrutiny must be
given adequate importance during plan preparation.
- Plans after approval at Panchayat
Samiti level on the basis of technical, financial criteria must be taken
back to the community for a sharing and ratification. In this connection a
responsibility matrix needs to be in place, e.g PEO to be accountable at
GP level, BDO at block level and PD, DRDA at district level to avoid delay
in planning and technical scrutiny.
- Enforcement against delay in
grievance redressal by competent authority should be strong and
disciplinary actions be suggested for giving low attention to grievances.
- Social audit must go to an
independent and autonomous body in the better spirit of the MGNREGS
- In disturbed areas or LWE districts
there are good examples of flexibility in operation and meaningful
utilization of funds in convergence model. In Koraput, MGNREGS has also
performed well also Narayanpatna like disturbed areas and so also about
OTELP plus areas. Learning from such areas needs to be widely disseminated
for better performance of MGNREGS and conceptualizing convergence in a
context in disturbed areas.
- Space for NGOs in the system is full
of ambiguity. The role of NGOs in MGNREGS must be clearly spelt out. At
the district level a GO-NGO coordination body needs to be constituted for
periodic review, strategy building, coordination, exchange and progressing
convergence for value addition to MGNREGS.
After
the group presentations the workshop was closed followed by a vote of thanks by
the organisor.
