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 Corruption in NREGA a teething problem -
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 | | Photo: Arvind Jain |
INTERVIEW/C.P. JOSHI, UNION RURAL DEVELOPMENT MINISTER
Four years after the NREGA came into being, what change has it brought about in the lives of people in rural India?
The first is empowerment of people. The second is that we have been able to create a benchmark for minimum wages. Now people have a choice. If they are not paid minimum wages elsewhere, they can work in NREGA schemes. Third is that it has created supplementary income for people. Fourth, it has resulted in creation of durable assets for panchayats. And the fifth pertains to helping to enhance agricultural produce.
How successful has the scheme been in reaching out to the poorest of the poor in rural areas?
If you analyse the data, you will find that the areas in which 100 days employment has been provided are the ones with maximum concentration of the most vulnerable and the most illiterate people. To that extent, we can say the programme has reached the poor in every nook and corner of India.
Any areas of concern in the implementation of the NREGA?
In the Act, there is a provision for ensuring a primary role for the panchayat. The annual plan has to be prepared from the grassroots level, gram sabha upwards. That provision is not being adhered to strictly. Provisions that people should be given job cards and once they apply for work and do not get it within 15 days, they be given unemployment allowance, are not being adhered to strictly.
Most importantly, and I was shocked to learn this after becoming minister, there are 67,000 panchayats that do not have a building from where they can function. People are supposed to apply to the panchayat for their job cards. If there is no panchayat building, where will they apply for job? Another concern is that wages are not being given on time. There are malpractices, such as using machinery and fudging muster rolls.
Corruption in NREGA implementation has been highlighted by social audits and by the Comptroller and Auditor General. What or who is responsible for that?
I don’t deny malpractice or corruption in implementation of the NREGA. But you have to analyse it in terms of volume. A large human element is involved in it. So a few exceptions and aberrations are bound to be there. There are 2.5 lakh panchayats. Out of these, there must be around a thousand panchayats where corruption is found. Corruption anywhere is a matter of concern for us and we have started addressing it at the right time. We are aware that if we are unable to curb corruption at this juncture, it can create a major problem for us later, as the NREGA is an Act and not merely a scheme. We have to look at it from the point of view of the large manpower and the large area involved. If you implement a scheme that is new for the people and which they are not really aware of, there will be some teething problems. I consider this a teething problem.
Lack of transparency at local level is a problem.
The government of India has a limited role to play in the implementation of the NREGA because panchayat is a state subject as per our Constitution. These issues will have to be addressed at the state level.
What is being done to curb corruption?
I held meetings with leaders of various political parties. We have introduced the concept of ombudsmen in every district. Even in my constituency, Bhilwara, I have allowed a social audit. We are regularly interacting with stakeholders such as the rural development ministers and secretaries of the states and NGOs, and are taking their feedback.
Are you facing problems coordinating with state governments?
To a certain extent, competitive politics is there. A few states are using their own brand name for the NREGA schemes. Sometimes when we receive a complaint, we forward it to the state government. But the state government fails to act on it at the right time. Otherwise, we are in regular touch with the states and they have been responding. Gradually, everything will fall in place.
The next phase of the NREGA is being launched. How different is it from the earlier version?
Around 65 lakh households are benefiting from the NREGA. But the total number of households is 15 crore. So you have to enlarge the scope of the Act with regard to the works permitted under it. Previously, we had a provision for work on land of farmers from SC/ST communities. Now, we have enlarged the scope of this provision to include small and marginal farmers. However, we will not deprive the SC/ST communities of their rights. First, work on farms belonging to SC/ST communities will have to be exhausted before any work is taken up on land of small and marginal farmers.
Social activists like Aruna Roy and Jean Dreze say the decision to build Rajiv Gandhi Seva Kendras under the NREGA will reduce the labour component of works.
We are not depriving people of manual work. We have a provision of 40 per cent material component in the works. We are aware that 67,000 panchayats do not have a building. In due course, we are going to have rural connectivity and all the villages will have IT facility. Where will this facility be available if there is no panchayat building? We will name the panchayat buildings after Rajiv Gandhi. It was he who brought about the Constitutional amendments for decentralisation of power.
The Act seeks to create durable assets for the people in villages. Won’t these buildings be durable assets? We have to demonstrate that we can have durable assets under the NREGA. They have a right to criticise, but their criticism will be valid only if we deprive even one person of manual work. There is a material component in the works and let it be left to the government as to how it has to be used.
Will non-manual work be included in the NREGA?
We will discuss the possibilities of including non-manual work in the Act. We will form a task force to look into it. We will have discussions with all stakeholders. Gradually, we will do something in this regard.
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