Making NREGA work better: A brief note by Public Interest Foundation

This note by the Public Interest Foundation (PIF) presents a proposal for making National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) work better. It offers an alternative to the existing rigid framework for implementation and complex procedures leading to bureaucratization of the implementation process thereby causing uncalled-for delays. The note is a follow-up of its collaborative study with National Council for Applied Economic Research (NCAER) on “Evaluating Performance of NREGA” as well as the Comptroller and Auditor General's (CAG) performance report on implementation of NREGA. 

It suggests that the NREGA be implemented by States not as a Central scheme but as a State scheme mandated under a Central Act. An integrated administrative set-up is suggested comprising of an Integrated Directorate of Rural Development (RD) - NREGA - Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) to ensure coordinated and dovetailed implementation of NREGA and other schemes of RD in which PRIs are also involved to a large extent. It also calls for establishing transparency, accountability by appointing State level ombudsman, social audit, region-specific calendar of NREGA works by the States and better IT-based Management Information Systems (MIS). 

You can download the note here from the Public Interest Foundation's website.