Centre issues half of rural job guarantee scheme allocation

Pending dues cleared; water conservation to take priority, states told

The central government says it released about 49 per cent of the 2017-18 Budget allocation of Rs 48,000 crore for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Generation Scheme (MGNREGS).

The financial year began on April 1. Part of the amount released on Monday will be used to clear pending dues of Rs 10,546 crore. It would also help in prioritising water conservation measures.

According to an official statement, the amount released included all pending liabilities as on end-March. These are on account of pending wages, of Rs 4,926 crore, material expenditure amounting to Rs 5,430 crore and Rs 189 crore for administrative expenditure.

After deduction of pending liabilities, Rs 37,454 crore would be available from the 2017-18 Budget allocation for new works. This can be added to during the year, through supplementary allocations, depending upon the demand.

In 2016-17, a considerable amount the scheme's central budget was spent on clearing dues, of which Rs 6,700 crore was on account of pending wages.

The statement added that all states had been advised to ensure water conservation and management works are taken up wherever required. The ministries of rural development and water resources have developed a 'Mission water conservation guideline' with the states.

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The rural ministry has requested states to accord top priority to water conservation works under MGNREGS, with a thrust on drought-prone and rain-deficient areas. A list of 2,264 water-stressed blocks has been prepared, located in 324 districts of 21 states.

The ministry has also advised the states that not less than 65 per cent of the total expenditure in MGNREGS be on natural resource management, which includes water conservation projects. Around 155 works are permissible under the scheme, of which 100 are related to natural resource management.

That apart, states have been asked to ensure work availability to poor households in poor regions. "A campaign to ensure a job card for every household that reported deprivation in the Socio-Economic Caste Census has been going on and will ensure that no poor household will be denied work in MGNREGS," the statement added.