Ekka briefs on MGNREGS performance

GUWAHATI, July 26: A meeting of the State Employment Guarantee Council was held on Tuesday at the Conference Hall of the Commissionerate of Panchayat and Rural Development (P&RD), Guwahati to review the progress of implementation of MGNREGA in Assam.

The meeting was chaired by P&RD Ministeri ba Kumar Doley. Welcoming the members present, Commissioner of P&RD and also Member Secretary of the Council Dr. JB Ekka made a presentation with comparative alysis on progress and performance of MGNREGA during last fincial year. “Since its inception the volume and variety of schemes taken up under MGNREGA have increased many fold and in 2016-17 the highest-ever expenditure of Rs. 1500.39 crore,” he said, added: “For fiscal 2017-18 the Central share of Rs.56755.38 lakh and State share of Rs.7512.20 lakh have also been received from the government under MGNREGA and an amount of Rs. 59064.53 lakh has been utilized till 20th July, 2017”.

Ekka also appraised that the State surpassed the approved labour budget of 408.00 lakh and generated 467.51 lakh person days for the FY 2016-17. “It is mentioble that for the FY 2017-18 the Centre has approved 500.00 lakh man days for the State, out of which 141.39 lakh mandays have been generated as on 20th July, 2017. As such in the deliberation it has been also mentioned that out of 2,86,853 works taken up since inception under the scheme, 1,72,964 works have been completed as on 20th July 2017,” said.

As regards job cards position in the field, Ekka said: “41,43,421 job cards under MGNREGA have been issued in the State of which 38,03,214 job cards have been verified till date and about 4.5 lakh cards are cancelled. 11506 household have completed 100 days work under MGNREGA in 2016-17 and more than 646 households completed 100 days work for the FY-2017-18 as on 20th July, 2017.”

Regarding women participation in the programme, 40% job has been provided to the women workers against the target of 33%, he said.

Minister of P &RD thanks all the members present and suggested the department to look into the matter of excess and lowest expenditure of the districts in respect of MGNREGA. He also suggested taking necessary steps to provide 100 days of works to the house hold and to check the delay in payment.