Caste-based MGNREGA Wages Payment

What is Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act?

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) was introduced by the Government of India in 2005 as National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (NREGA-NREGA). In the year 2010, the name of NREGA was changed to MGNREGA.
MGNREGA, which introduces rural India to the ‘dignity of labour, is the world’s most extensive social welfare program providing legally guaranteed employment. Under the MGNREGA program, 100 days of guaranteed employment, daily unemployment allowance, and transport allowance (in case of a distance of more than 5 km) have been made for the adult members of each family willing to do unskilled labour. It is noteworthy that there is a provision of 150 days of employment under MGNREGA in drought-prone areas and tribal areas.

Eligibility of Receiving the Benefit under MGNREGA Schemes:

The following are the eligibility criteria for receiving the benefits under MGNREGA schemes:

• he/she must be a citizen of India to seek MGNREGA benefits.
• The seeker has completed 18 years of age at the time of application
• The applicant must be part of a local household with a local gram panchayat
• Applicants must volunteer for unskilled labour. 

Implementation of the MGNREGA Scheme:

• The scheme starts its implementation within 15 days of submitting the application or from the day the worker demanded the work.
• It has the provision to get an allowance in case employment is not provided within 15 days of submitting the application.
• Social audits of MGNREGA works lend to accountability and transparency. 
• The gram sabha is the main channel for wage seekers to raise their voices and make demands.
• It is the gram sabha and the gram panchayat which approves the shelf of works under MGNREGA and fix their priority. 

Benefits of MGNREGA:

• It ensure the employment to the unskilled and marginalised workers
• It helps in the creation of assets and rural development and environment protection
• It plays an important role in the improvement of health and livelihood of downtrodden workers
• MGNREGA contributed in the women empowerment and development
• It also protects the respect and dignity of workers
• It help in the upliftment of schedule caste and schedule tribes.
• The scheme has also reduced the percentage of migration

Mechanism of MGNREGA payment system:

1. Aadhaar Payment Bridge System- It is a mechanism under which beneficiaries will receive wages or payment only through their aadhaar number.
2. E-muster roll- It is allotted to workers to bring transparency in the payment and wages transfer system.
3. 3. Fund Transfer Order- It ensure the leakage proof system of payment through National Electronic Fund Management System (NeFMS).

Caste-Based MGNREGA Wages Payment:

According to the new system, if 30 individuals (9 SC, 6 ST, and 15 others) work together on the same MGNREGA site, then payment would be done through three separate fund transfer orders(FTOs) for each category. According to the ministry, the system of caste-based payment of wages was introduced to accurately reflect the ground flow of funds to various population groups. this system also solves the problem of delayed payment and wages stuck.

However, the caste-based payment of wages has created a rift among the workers, MGNREGA workers come from a poor and rural background and can come from any religion or caste. The creation of such a mechanism in such a ground level of policy would create a feeling of resentment among the labours. If one community will be treated preferably over the other solely on the basis of caste will only give rise to resentment and create a rift among the beneficiaries of MGNREGA.

Why in News?

Recently, a parliamentary standing committee has asked the Rural development ministry to replace the caste-based MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) payment system with the earlier mechanism of single fund transferable order. As per this notice, the Ministry of Rural Development sent an advisory asking the states to take necessary steps to pay wages to MGNREGA workers as per SC, ST, and other categories from the financial year 2021-22.

Issues of Caste-based MGNREGA wages payment:

• Government asked to add three new brackets SC, ST and general category, which creates a problem of sorting labours into different categories.
• The system troubles as it is difficult to provide equitable amounts in all three categories.
• Workers will receive their wages only from their category account.
• A feeling of differentiation may develop among the workers who are working on the same site.

Conclusion:

The caste-based wage system somehow resolves the problems of late payments to lower caste people and establish social justice based on rural backwardness, but it also raises a lot of problems like discrimination and negligence which must be resolved before proper implementation of the mechanism. So far, there is a crucial need to raise awareness among people regarding the caste-based wage payment system.