Centre asks state to verify muster roll for NREGA works

New Delhi, Jan 8 (UNI) The Ministry of Rural Development has asked the States to accord top priority to hundred per cent verification of muster rolls on National Rural Eemployment Guarantee Act (NREGA) works to ensure transparency and legitimacy of the implementation process.

The States have to ensure submission of compliance report to the Ministry by January 31 and take action in case of any unauthorised entries in the muster rolls.

In the District Programme Coordinators Conference for the review of NREGA, held in November, 2006, all states were directed to conduct hundred per cent verification of muster rolls of NREGA works and guidelines and formats for the verification were also shared with them.

No State so far has reported any action in this regard and the Ministry has taken a serious note of reports of unauthorised and false entries in muster rolls and improper utilisation of funds granted under the Act from some NREGA worksites in some States.

Section 27 of the NREGA states that in case of complaint regarding improper utilisation of funds granted under the Act, financial releases to the scheme in that area can be withheld till appropriate remedial measures are instituted within a reasonable time.

The NREGA is under implementation in 200 districts of the country with effect from February, 2006 for securing the livelihood of the people in rural areas by guaranteeing hundred days of employment in a financial year to a rural household. The districts for the first phase have been selected by the Planning Commission on the basis of certain criteria for backwardness.

NREGA offers a paradigm shift in the strategy of wage employment and recognizes the need to derive the programme from the premise of law.

UNI