Mobile Monitoring System in MGNREGA

The Ministry of Rural Development is likely to introduce Mobile Monitoring System for effective implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, MGNREGA.

The Monitoring System will be introduced in MGNREGA on a pilot basis to allow real time monitoring of all works, workers attendance and work site measurement. The move is likely to plug leakages in the rural job scheme.

Moreover, the Centre has recently sanctioned 147 crore rupees to the States to strengthen the social audit structures for MGNREGA. Social Audit ensures comprehensive public scrutiny of records and accounts with a view to enhance transparency and accountability.

The additional grant was sanctioned as States were finding it difficult to put the necessary institutional structures for social audit within the overall 6 percent administrative cost.

To devise a better mechanism to improve the quality and durability of assets created under MGNREGS, Schedule I to the MGNREG Act, 2005 has been modified to provide that at least 60% of the works being taken in a district in terms of cost shall be for creation of productive assets directly linked to agriculture and allied activities through development of land, water and trees.