The compensation for delayed wages under MGNREGA since January 3, this year, has amounted to Rs 118.04 crore, Lok Sabha was informed today.
While responding to a question in Lok Sabha, Minister of state in the Rural Development Ministry, Upendra Kushwaha in a written reply said that with a view to avoid delays and to compensate the wage seekers for the delays that occurred, MGNREGA had been amended on January 3, 2014.
He said as per this amendment, 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 muster roll.
"The compensation amount shall be paid initially from the state government component of the scheme funds and subsequently recovered from the functionaries or agencies responsible for such delay in payment of wages. Since January 3, 2014 the compensation arrived at for the delayed wages amounted to Rs 118.04 crore," Kushwaha said.
He said three states Andhra Pradesh (including Telangana), Maharashtra and Jharkhand have paid as delay compensation an amount or Rs 8.95 crore, Rs 88.12 lakh and Rs 20,173 respectively. The other states are in the process of verifying the claims and they have been asked to expedite action in this regard, he said.
Kushwaha also gave details as per which over Rs 3,018 crore is the total delayed payment for the year 2014-15 till July 27.
Replying to another question related to MGNREGA, Kushwaha said that in order to streamline the process of registering the demand for work, guidelines have been issued to all states to hold 'Rozgar Diwas' periodically in all villages.
In a written reply to another question, Kushwaha said that complaints of irregularities in the implementation of Indira Awaas Yojana had been received in 2014-15. These complaints were forwarded to implementing agencies ie state governments for necessary action, he said.
