*Despite lapse of decade, no focus on requisites of MGNREGA
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Mar 21: Contrary to the tall claims made on the floor of the State Legislature, the PDP-BJP Coalition Government is unlikely to appoint Ombudsmen and set-up Social Audit Unit under flagship scheme of Government of India-Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) even before the end of current financial year because the Selection Committees have been soft-paddling on the process initiated over four months back. In this way, no urgency is being shown towards the requisites of scheme despite lapse of over one decade.
The MGNREGA aims at enhancing the livelihood security of people in rural areas by guaranteed hundred days of wage employment in a financial year to a rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. As per Section 30, Schedule 1 of the MGNREGA, J&K was supposed to appoint Ombudsman for each district for receiving grievances, enquiring into the same and passing awards.
Moreover, as per Section 19 of the Act, the State was required to frame Grievance Redressal Rules to determine appropriate grievance redressal mechanism and lay down procedure for disposal of complaints. Likewise, for ensuring transparency and accountability in the implementation of the scheme, the Act makes it mandatory for establishment of independent Social Audit Unit.
However, all these requisites have not been met by J&K till date despite the fact that this scheme was extended to all the 22 districts of the State over a decade back, official sources told EXCELSIOR, adding “even after lapse of such a huge period the soft-paddling approach on these three vital aspects is still persisting although allegations about lack of transparency in implementation of scheme is a general phenomenon in Jammu and Kashmir”.
Like previous sessions of the State Legislature, the inordinate delay in appointment of Ombudsmen and setting up of Social Audit Unit also came up for discussion during the session concluded in the month of February this year. At that time the Minister for Rural Development Abdul Haq Khan had announced that process in this regard has been initiated and will be concluded soon after the Budget Session was over.
However, the dilly-dallying approach clearly indicates that Government will not be able to give practical shape to the process during the current financial year, which is going to close on March 31, 2017.
Giving details, sources said that after being snubbed by the Union Ministry for non-serious approach towards these vital aspects of the scheme, the Rural Development Department of J&K vide communication No.RD/PC/NREGA/2009-2010-E-AF dated November 23, 2016 issued Advertisement Notification for the engagement of Ombudsman—one for two districts under MGNREGA.
Prior to this vide Government Order No.857-GAD of 2016 dated August 5, 2016 the Government constituted a Selection Committee headed by Financial Commissioner, Planning, Development and Monitoring Department for selection of Ombudsmen.
“All the applications received by the Rural Development Department for the posts of Ombudsmen were put to scrutiny by a team of the department’s officers and thereafter the list of candidates was shortlisted for interview”, sources said, adding “the Selection Committee has yet not given any date for holding interview despite the fact that same is imperative to issue proper notice for the information of applicants. Moreover, unless date is finalized the Union Rural Development Ministry cannot be approached for deputing representative for interviews as per the provisions of the scheme”.
Similarly, Rural Development Department has prepared a proposal regarding establishment of independent Social Audit Unit in the State under MGNREGA and has taken approval of the Minister Incharge but the General Administration Department has not issued order regarding establishment of Selection Committee headed by Chief Secretary, which has the mandate to make appointment of Director Social Audit and State Resource Person, sources said.
In this way, there are no chances of establishment of these two important institutions before the end of current financial year, they regretted, adding “no focus has yet been laid on framing Grievance Redressal Rules”.
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