New Delhi,8 May :The Union Minister for Rural Development Dr. Raghuvansh Prasad Singh has stressed upon the effective monitoring of the implementation of National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) in those 330 districts of the country where the NREGA is under implementation during the 2006-08 period. Addressing the valedictory session of a workshop of the National Level Monitors (NLMs) here today Dr. Singh emphasized the need and importance of third party independent unbiased monitoring of the programmes. This workshop was organized to familiarize the National Level Monitors with the provision of NREGA and the methods of monitoring.
The Minister highlighted the importance of awareness and transparency in implementation of the programme and directed the NLMs to see awareness among the people and transparency in the implementation of the NREGA. Participation of the people and their representation in the planning process and implementation are other important elements of successful implementation of NREGA, he added. Dr. Singh also advised the NLMs to give their independent views on the quality of durable assets created, utility of assets in addition to impact of NREGA on quality of life of rural masses.
As the implementation of the NREGA has been widely reported in the media on account of its achievements or failures, the Ministry of Rural Development has engaged 260 National Level Monitors (LMs) for Special Monitoring of NREGA in all these 330 districts. These NLMs are retired defence and civil servants having rich having rich experience in administration of developmental works, supervision and monitoring.
The NLMs have now been allotted 330 districts. Detailed guidelines and formats have been provided for monitoring NREGA by the NLMs. This monitoring exercise is expected to yield factual insight, meaningful inputs that enables detection of process flaws in the implementation of programme, report success stories which are replicable and whether field level situations are in line with realization of the outcomes reflected in various reports. The NLMs have been trained to administer structured questionnaire that is designed for monitoring the NRGEA. They were also instructed to submit the reports as per a reporting format. Once the reports are submitted, the suggestions and observations of the monitors would be communicated to the concerned State Government and implementing agency to take corrective action. The NLMs are required to visit the districts during May_ June 2008 and submit report by 15th June, 2008 positively. They will be visiting 330 districts, 660 blocks and about 1320 Gram Panchayat/ Villages during this Special Monitoring by the NLMs.
The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) is under implementation in all the rural districts of the country from April, 2008. The Act provides legal guarantee of 100 days of unskilled wage employment in a year to willing rural households. During the year 2007-08, a total of 3.34 crore households have been provided 142 crore person days of employment. About 41% of works have been availed by the women. During this period 17.8 lakh works were taken up relating to water provision of irrigation facilities to land owned by SCs/STs, renovation of traditional water bodies, land development, drought proofing, rural connectivity etc. While implementing the scheme, utmost importance is given for awareness generation, people’s participation, accountability, transparency and strict vigilance and monitoring.