Funds can be provided under ‘labour component’ of MGNREGA: Birender Singh

With state governments raising the issue of reduced allocations, under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the Central government has assured them that “financial assistance can be provided to them under the ‘labour component’ of the scheme.”

In an exclusive interview to Millennium Post, Union Rural Development Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh said: “Assistance can be provided by the labour component under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to a ministry or department of the state government. If these are people with registration under MNREGA and if they work with us under this component in the scheme, they will be paid. The labour component also includes right to work.”

The minister stressed that schemes from varied ministries and department from state governments can work in convergence with this component under MGRENGA. “If any present programme or scheme of a ministry of the Government of India or any department of the state government, wants to convert their work and be affiliated with MNREGA, then we are ready to do so,” he said. 

We have about 14 ministries, which have approached us with their advisories and guidelines to collaborate with MGNREGA. Their guidelines need to be fine-tuned accordingly, as they need to fall under the ‘labour component’ to be able start any project under the scheme. So accordingly varied departments of the state and ministries can then convert their existing schemes and collaborate with MNREGA.” Singh emphasized on the transparency that exists in the component of MGRENGA. “The most important aspect is to eradicate middlemen like thekedars who keep most of the money.  There is complete transparency when it comes to implementation of MGRENGA. We have already made it clear that if anyone has agreed to use MNREGA for any agricultural or allied agricultural purpose then we would welcome that initiative. In fact sixty percent has already been allocated for agriculture and allied agriculture under the scheme.”

Asked about Rural Development Ministry constructing 50,000 anganwadi centres in collaboration with Women and Child Development Ministry, Singh said, “Various ministries including Women and Child Development have written to us regarding assistance under MGREGA. We can provide them with assistance under the labour component but land will be provided by the gram panchayat . In fact gram panchayats can provide land for anganwadis and community centres as well.”