Govt plans biometric data base of MNREGA workers

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said the government proposes to create a biometric data base of all workers covered under its flagship MNREGA scheme and use it to authenticate work applications, work-site attendance and wage payments.

Making the announcement at a function held here to mark five years of the launch of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), Singh said, "We hope it will substantially reduce instances of discrimination in work allocation, delayed payments and bogus muster rolls."

The Prime Minister also expressed concern over problems in implementation of MNREGA in Naxal-affected areas. He announced that the government will establish a technical unit, comprising a panchayat development officer and a junior engineer, in each gram panchayat.

"Priority is being given to Left-wing extremism affected districts, and districts where the annual MNREGA expenditure is above Rs 100 crore," Singh said.

He also took note of reports of harassment and intimidation of social auditors.

"Authorities should take strict action in such cases. Comprehensive rules to strengthen the social audit process by the gram sabha are being formulated," Singh said.

The Prime Minister maintained that MNREGA had generated 880 crore person days of work since its inception.

"52 per cent of the work has been done by those belonging to the Scheduled Cases and Scheduled Tribes and 47 per cent by women," he said.

Singh also noted that wages under MNREGA were now being disbursed through more than 10 crore bank and post office accounts.