The Centre has directed all district-level functionaries to undertake 50 per cent of all works under the rural job guarantee scheme, MGNREGA, on water conservation works, such as check dam construction, de-silting of traditional water bodies, minor irrigation tanks and canals.

Terming the changes being made by Rural Development Minister Nitin Gadkari as ‘sweeping’, an official release on Tuesday said this was being done to mitigate a drought-like situation as well as create more productive assets under the scheme.

“The decision has been taken in response to widespread criticism by Members of Parliament and people’s representatives at the local level that Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) has become a source of corruption and that no productive assets are being created through the rural job scheme,” the release added.

Gadkari said as these works required a combination of wage labour and machinery, the percentage on skilled component had been increased up to 49 per cent.

“Increase in the skilled percentage from 40 per cent to 49 per cent is enabling provision which empowers States , if they so wish to do part of work of check dams, minor irrigation tanks with machinery, while doing balance 51 per cent on muster payment to labour,” he added.

The Minister said if States wished to retain the skilled proportion to 40 per cent, they were free to do so. He also directed the Ministry that all payments and fund transfers to States be made on e-payment platform and on a ‘just in time’ basis so that wage payments were not delayed beyond a week.

The Ministry said the decisions followed a meeting it held with several MPs experts, such as NGO activists Rajendra Singh and Popat Rao Pawar, who ‘widely welcomed’ the steps.

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