Over Rs 12,000 cr MNREGA payments delayed in 2013-14 beyond 15

Payments of over Rs 12,000 crore were delayed beyond the stipulated period of 15 days under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in 2013-14, the government today said.
Minister of State for Rural Development Upendra Kushwaha also informed the Lok Sabha that the government has introduced penal provision of monetary compensation for delay in wages under the MNREGA.
"As per the data available in the Programme Management Information System (MIS), the payments amounting to Rs 12673.14 crore were delayed beyond the stipulated period of 15 days under the MNREGA in 2013-14," he said in a written reply.
He said the states are obliged to pay compensation to wage seekers under MGNREGA for all delayed wage payments according to the provision made in Schedule II of the Act.

Replying to another question, Kushwaha said the ministry is considering to amend the Schedule 1 of the MGNREGA to ensure that at least 60 per cent of the works to be taken up in a district in terms of cost are for creation of productive assets directly linked to agriculture and allied activities through development of land, water and trees.
He also informed the House that the Rural Development Ministry has received a proposal from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to plant 13.65 lakh trees involving local community along 3,405.88 km length of the National Highways.
"The proposal is under examination," he said.