MGNREGA will have punishable provision for delay in payment: Munde

Rural Development Minister Gopinath Munde has said that a punishable provision will be added to MGNREGA for delay in payment to rural job seekers.

Talking to the media here yesterday, the Minister said, zero tolerance to corruption and timely payment of wages are the twin mantras on which he will work upon in the coming days.

He said apart from the strict monitoring of the scheme, there will be monthly assessment report to ensure transparent implementation of the rural job Act.

He also indicated that he will soon call a meeting of the State Rural Development Ministers to discuss the issues in detail. He said, the rural job scheme will be utilised for the all round development of villages and both can go hand in hand.

On the issue of Indira Aawas Yojana, Munde said that there is a need for adding new categories to the list of beneficiaries due to out-migration of labourers and he also underlined that nomadic tribes could be another category.

On the issue of Land Acquisition Act, the Minister emphasised that there will be no compromise with the compensation and rehabilitation aspects of the Act.

Denying the charge that the new Land Act is against industrialisation, Munde said that if shortcomings any will be rectified for fast execution of projects by tweaking the rules.