Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act

 

Details

An employment scheme by the Ministry of Rural Development, providing provide at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled work. Any Indian citizen above the age of 18 years and residing in a rural area can apply to this scheme. The applicant receives guaranteed employment within 15 days from the date of application.



The wage is deposited directly in the Bank Account / Post Office Account of the applicant. Wages are paid within a week, or fifteen days at most. Men and Women are paid equally. MGNREGA covers the entire country with the exception of districts that have a hundred percent urban population.

 

Benefits

1. The applicant receives guaranteed employment within 15 days from the date of application.
2. Work is to be provided within a radius of 5 kilometers of the applicant’s residence if possible, and in any case within the Block. If the applicant lives more than 5 km away from the worksite, he/she will be entitled to a travel and subsistence allowance (10% of the minimum wage).
3. Wages are paid within a week, or fifteen days at most. Men and Women are paid equally.
4. Shade, drinking water, and first-aid are provided at every worksite.



Exclusive measures for the promotion of the participation of the disabled persons: 

1. Identification of suitable works
2. Mobilization of disabled persons by focussing on awareness and special provisions
3. Specifically identified works for disabled persons in the case of large GPs
4. Preference to appoint as mates and as workers for providing drinking water, to manage crèches, etc., at the worksites
5. Adoption of tools and equipment/facilities at workplaces
6. Treating persons with disabilities with respect
7. Special drive to ensure 100 days of employment to such households
8. Provide a special job card of a distinct color



Specific attention and provisions for Senior Citizens:

1. Exclusive senior citizen groups may be formed and special works which require lesser physical effort are identified and allotted to these groups.



Specific attention and provisions for Internally Displaced Persons:

1. A special job card to be provided will be valid till these families are displaced and will lose its validity as soon as they return to their original place of residence.

Eligibility

1. The applicant must be at least 18 years of age.
2. The applicant must be residing in a Rural Area.

 

Exclusions

NA

 

Application Process

 

Offline

 

Step 1: The application for registration may be given on plain paper to the local Gram Panchayat. An individual may appear personally before the Panchayat Secretary or Gram Rozgar Sahayak and make an oral request for registration, in which case the particulars required will be noted by the Gram Rojgar Sahayak or the Panchayat Secretary.

Application for registration should contain names of those adult members of the household who are willing to do unskilled manual work. Particulars such as age, sex, SC/ST status, Rashtriya Swastha Bima Yojana (RSBY) number, Aadhar number, Below Poverty Line (BPL) status and bank/post office account number (if s/he has opened one) must be provided in the application.

Step 2: The Gram Panchayat (GP) will verify the following details:

Whether the household is really an entity as stated in the application.

Whether the applicant household are local residents in the Gram Panchayat concerned.

Whether applicants are adult members of the household.

The process of verification shall be completed as early as possible, and in any case not later than a fortnight after the receipt of the application in the Gram Panchayat.

Step 3: All particulars of a household found to be eligible after verification, will be entered in the MIS (NREGASoft) by the Panchayat Secretary or the Gram Rojgar Sahayak (GRS) or a person duly authorized by the State Government.

Step 4: If a household is found to be eligible for registration, the GP will, within a fortnight of the application, issue a JC to the household. JC should be handed over to one of the members of the applicant household in the presence of a few other residents of the GP. The format of the Job Card is provided in the Annexure-5 of the scheme guidelines.

The detailed format for application for registration is provided in Annexure-3 of the scheme guidelines.

* Registrations shall be opened throughout the year at the Gram Panchayat (GP) office.

* Application for registration must be made on behalf of the household by any adult member.

 

Online - Via CSCs

 

Individuals should also be given the option to make registration to apply for registration at other touch points such as Community Service Centre (CSC). The CSC operator will fill in the details in the application form and forward the filled application form to the concerned GP for necessary action. State Government will issue necessary enabling orders in this regard.

* Registrations shall be opened throughout the year at the Gram Panchayat (GP) office.

* Application for registration must be made on behalf of the household by any adult member.

 

Online

 

One can download UMANG App or visit website https://web.umang.gov.in/web_new/home

The citizen can login using a mobile number and OTP.

Once logged In, citizen can search for MGNREGA.

Click on “Apply for Job Card”

Fill in the basic details, choose the mode of payment of pension, upload photo and click on “Submit”.

 

 

Apply Now

UMANG

 

Documents Required

1. Photograph of Applicant
2. Name, Age, and Gender of all NREGA Job Card Applicants from the applicant’s household
3. Name of Village, Gram Panchayat, Block
4. Proof of Identity (Ration card, Voter ID Card, Aadhaar, PAN)
5. Details of whether the applicant is a beneficiary of SC / ST / Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY) / Land Reform (LR)
6. Specimen Signature / Thumb impression

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Who Are The Key Stakeholders In MGNREGA?

The key stakeholders in MGNREGA are the following: Wage seekers, Gram Sabha (GS), Three-tier Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), Programme Officer at the Block level, District Programme Coordinator (DPC), State Government, Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Civil Society, Other stakeholders [viz. line departments, convergence departments, Self-Help Groups (SHGs), etc.

 

Will The Wage Be Paid Monthly, Weekly Or On Daily Basis?

The disbursement of daily wages shall be made on a weekly basis or in any case not later than a fortnight after the date on which such work was done.

 

What Is Wage Rate For Women Employed For Providing Child Care Services?

The women so employed should be paid remuneration equivalent to the prevailing wage rate.

 

What Information Will Be Provided In The Wage Slip?

Individual pay slips or wage slips should have the details of wage payments like work ID, wage rate, number of days worked, amount earned by the worker during the week, number of mandays completed per HH and number of mandays of employment due to the households concerned etc. The format of the Wage Slip can be found in Annexure-15 of the scheme guidelines.

 

How Are The Payments Of Wages Made To The Wage Seekers?

The payment of wages shall, unless so exempted by the Central Government, be made through the individual savings accounts of the workers in the relevant banks or post offices.

 

Is There Any Authentic Document Required To Open The Wage Seeker Account?

MGNREGS Job Card, duly signed by the concerned officer is an officially valid document for opening a bank account under the Know Your Customer (KYC) norms.

 

Is there any compensation for delay in payment of wages?

MGNREGA has laid down a detailed procedure for establishing a delay compensation system. As per the system, MGNREGA workers are entitled to receive delay compensation at a rate of 0.05 per cent of the unpaid wages per day for the duration of the delay beyond the sixteenth day of the closure of the MR.

 

What social security is provided for MGNREGS workers?

The two types of insurance provided under social security exclusively for MGNREGS workers are: (i) Janashree Bima Yojana (JBY): JBY provides life coverage and disability benefits to rural people. (ii) Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY): RSBY has been extended to all Mahatma Gandhi NREGA workers/ beneficiaries who have worked for more than 15 days in the preceding financial year.

 

Who Is Designated As PO In MGNREGS?

At the block level Executive authorities such as Tehsildar/Block Development Officer are often designated as PO. For blocks that have high concentration of SC/STs/landless labourers and are likely to have more demand for MGNREGA works should have a committed / dedicated PO for MGNREGA. The PO should not be assigned responsibilities not directly related to MGNREGA.

 

What Is A Job Card?

Job Card is a key document that records workers’ entitlements under MGNREGA. It legally empowers the registered households to apply for work, ensures transparency and protects workers against fraud.

 

Is There Any Pre-Printed Form For Providing Details While Registering For Job Card?

The State Government may make a printed form available as per format prescribed in the relevant Annexures of the MGNREGA Operational Guidelines 2013. However, a printed form should not be insisted upon.

 

Can All Adult Members Of A Household Register For Job Card?

Yes, all the adult members of a household willing to do unskilled manual work can register themselves to obtain a job card under MGNREGA.

 

For How Many Years Is The Registration For Job Card Valid?

The registration is valid for five years and may be renewed/re-validated following process prescribed for renewal/revalidation as and when required.

 

When Is An Applicant Eligible For Unemployment Allowance?

If an applicant is not provided employment within fifteen days of receipt of his/her application seeking employment, in all cases of advance application, employment should be provided from the date that employment has been sought, or within 15 days of the date of application, whichever is later. Else, unemployment allowance becomes due. It will be calculated automatically by the computer system or the Management Information System (MIS).

 

Who Constitutes Special Category Of Workers (Vulnerable Groups) Under MGNREGA?

The special category of workers are from: i) Persons with disabilities ii) Primitive Tribal Groups iii) Nomadic Tribal Groups iv) Denotified Tribes v) Women in special circumstances vi) Senior citizens above 65 years of age vii) HIV positive persons viii) Internally displaced persons ix) Rehabilitated bonded labour

 

Are Any Special Works Identified For Differently Abled Persons Working Under MGNREGA? If So, Provide A Few Examples.

Yes, several works are exclusively identified for differently abled persons. Further, suggestive works for category of differently abled persons are provided. A few of the works are: Drinking water arrangements, Sprinkling water on newly built wall, Farm bunding, Looking after children, Plantation.

 

Who Are Eligible To Become Members In Labour Groups?

Workers who have put in 10 days of work during the previous year are eligible to apply to be a member of the labour groups.

 

What Is The Procedure To Register Oneself For Employment?

Household having adult members desirous of seeking unskilled wage employment in MGNREGA may apply for registration. The application for registration may be given on prescribed form or plain paper to the local Gram Panchayat. To allow maximum opportunities to families that may migrate, registration shall also be opened throughout the year at the GP office.

 

If The Information Contained In The Application Found To Be Incorrect, What Is The Process To Be Adopted?

The Gram Panchayat will refer the application to PO. The PO, after independent verification of facts and giving the person concerned an opportunity to be heard, may direct the GP to either - (i). register the household or (ii). reject the application or (iii). secure the particulars correct and re-process the application.

 

Should The Cost Towards Job Card (Including The Photograph Affixed On It) Be Borne By The Applicant?

No, the cost of the Job Cards, including that of the photographs affixed on it, are covered under the administrative expenses and borne as a part of the programme cost.

 

Is There Any Provision To Provide Duplicate Job Card For A Lost One?

Yes, a Job Cardholder may apply for a duplicate Job Card, if the original is lost or damaged. The application will be given to the GP and shall be processed in the manner of a new application, with the difference being that the particulars may also be verified using the duplicate copy of the JC maintained by the Panchayat.

 

Sources And References

 

Guidelines CLICK HERE

FAQ CLICK HERE