PAC unhappy with assets' quality under MNREGA

A Parliamentary Committee has expressed concern over the quality of assets created under the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA, which, it said, were by and large sub-standard, non-durable and non-productive.

The observations were made by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), headed by senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi, on the implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in a report tabled in the Lok Sabha today.

The Rural Development Ministry replied to this in its action taken report that it was working on convergence of various projects/assets under MNREGA and that this activity was yet to fructify, making it premature to assess the impact of the initiatives in creating durable and tangible assets.

The report also said it was "utterly dissatisfied" to note that the action taken reply of the ministry was "conspicuously silent" with regards to the steps taken for provision of facilities like drinking water, medical aid etc at work sites in 14 states.

On the issue of payment of wages through banks and post offices, the PAC report welcomed certain steps adopted by the ministry in post office saving rules.

The committee, however, pulled up the ministry for "being silent" with regard to action taken on its recommendation that no minimum account balances are stipulated by banks and post offices in respect of MNREGA schemes.

Concerning social audit process in MNREGA schemes, the PAC said in its report that the ministry's idea of setting up the office of ombudsman in the states/UTs was a step in the right direction.

"With a view to maintain transparency and accountability of the scheme, the ministry has selected 61 eminent citizens for independent monitoring of works under MNREGA," the PAC report said.