MGNREGA at Village Level — Set 10

Correct Answer: B. B) Wages electronically transferred to individual bank/post office accounts, phased in from 2008-2013

The Direct Payment to Workers (DPW) system under MGNREGA involves electronic transfer of wages directly to individual bank or post office accounts of workers, bypassing all intermediaries. This was phased in from 2008 onwards in different states as banking infrastructure expanded to rural areas. By 2013, direct payment through bank/post office accounts became mandatory nationwide. The system was further strengthened with Aadhaar linking and the Aadhaar Payment Bridge System (ABPS) for direct bank transfer. The DPW system is credited with significantly reducing leakages in MGNREGA wage payments, which were a serious problem in the early years of the programme.

Correct Answer: B. B) Basic facilities at worksites including drinking water, shade, crèche, first aid, rest periods

MGNREGA guidelines mandate a set of basic worksite facilities: provision of safe drinking water, shade for rest periods, first-aid facilities, and a crèche for children of women workers when there are more than 5 children below 6 years of age. These requirements are designed to ensure safe and dignified working conditions, particularly for women workers. Worksites with more than 150 workers must have additional facilities. Failure to provide these facilities is a violation of the Act and can be reported in social audits. These worksite infrastructure requirements reflect MGNREGA's commitment to worker welfare beyond just wage employment.

Correct Answer: A. A) SGRY was the direct predecessor scheme that was merged into MGNREGA

Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana (SGRY) was a centrally sponsored rural employment scheme launched in 2001 by merging the Employment Assurance Scheme (EAS) and Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojana (JGSY). SGRY provided wage employment through food grains (part wages in food) and cash. MGNREGA, enacted in 2005 and implemented from 2006, replaced and subsumed SGRY along with the National Food for Work Programme (NFFWP). MGNREGA's key advancement over SGRY was the shift from a scheme-based to a rights-based approach — creating a legal entitlement to employment rather than a supply-side programme. SGRY was formally discontinued after MGNREGA's rollout.

Correct Answer: B. B) Annual document listing all works proposed under MGNREGA, approved by Gram Sabha

The Gram Panchayat Workplan in MGNREGA is an annual document that lists all proposed works to be taken up during the financial year, along with estimated cost, expected employment, and priority ranking. It is prepared through consultation with ward-level communities and approved by the Gram Sabha. The Workplan forms the basis for MGNREGA fund request to the block and district administration. Works on the approved Workplan can be started immediately when workers demand employment, enabling rapid response within the 15-day window. The Workplan is a key planning document that bridges the gap between community demand and administrative implementation.

Correct Answer: B. B) Multi-layered digital systems including MIS, geo-tagging, NMMS, and social audit portals enabling citizen oversight

Technology-enabled transparency in MGNREGA refers to the multi-layered digital infrastructure that enables citizens and oversight bodies to monitor the programme in real time. This includes the MIS website with public data on expenditure and employment, the National Asset Directory with geo-tagged assets, the NMMS app for real-time attendance, the Social Audit Information Management System for audit findings, and citizen-facing apps like MGNREGA Seva. Together, these systems create an unprecedented level of transparency for a social protection programme, enabling anyone with internet access to check MGNREGA activities in any village. India's MGNREGA MIS is recognised internationally as a model for transparent public works.

Correct Answer: B. B) Guarantee of the right to work including conditions of employment, wages, and compensation

Schedule II of MGNREGA lays down the guarantee of the right to work under the scheme, specifying the conditions of employment, wage payment norms, and provisions for unemployment allowance. It specifies that wages must be paid within 15 days of completion of work; that at least one-third of workers must be women; that worksites must have basic facilities; and that workers are entitled to weekly rest, overtime, and compensation for injuries. Schedule II also specifies the rate of unemployment allowance (25% and 50% of wages for different periods). It serves as the workers' rights charter under MGNREGA.

Correct Answer: B. B) MGNREGA labour is used for check dams, bunds, and earthworks in watershed projects combining employment and catchment restoration

MGNREGA converges with watershed development programmes (such as Integrated Watershed Management Programme and Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana's watershed component) by providing unskilled labour for construction of watershed structures — check dams, farm bunds, contour trenches, percolation ponds, and water harvesting structures. While watershed programmes provide technical design and material costs, MGNREGA provides wage employment for earthwork and construction. This convergence creates multiple benefits: employment for landless workers, improved water availability for farmers, reduced soil erosion, and enhanced groundwater recharge. Watershed-MGNREGA convergence is particularly effective in water-stressed districts of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh.

Correct Answer: B. B) A standardised cost estimation system for different types of MGNREGA works based on Schedule of Rates

The Revised Estimation System (RES) for MGNREGA is a standardised framework for preparing cost estimates for different categories of MGNREGA works based on the state's Schedule of Rates. It ensures that the labour-to-material cost ratio (60:40) is maintained and that estimates are realistic, preventing both gold-plating and under-estimation. The RES uses technical specifications developed by NRIDA and state engineering departments to calculate the expected employment generation (person-days) from each type of work. A well-functioning RES ensures that MGNREGA estimates are grounded in technical reality and that the 60% labour cost norm is consistently maintained across all works.

Correct Answer: B. B) District-level centre providing support to women workers on MGNREGA rights and grievances

Gender Resource Centres (GRCs) have been established in several states as district-level support units that specifically help women workers navigate their MGNREGA entitlements and address gender-specific barriers to access. GRCs provide information on rights, assist women with job card registration, wage payment complaints, and worksite harassment complaints. They work with SHG networks to collectively mobilise women for MGNREGA and enable peer support among women workers. GRCs address the reality that women face unique barriers in accessing MGNREGA — including social restrictions on mobility, lower literacy, and household gate-keeping by male family members — that require targeted support mechanisms.

Correct Answer: B. B) A committee supporting the poorest households to access MGNREGA and other social protection schemes

The Village Poverty Reduction Committee (VPRC) is a community-level committee, typically drawn from SHG members and Gram Sabha, that supports the identification and inclusion of the poorest households in MGNREGA and other social protection schemes. VPRCs conduct door-to-door surveys to identify households without job cards, those with irregular employment, and those facing wage payment problems. They facilitate the process of job card registration and work application for the most marginalised households. VPRCs are particularly active in states with strong NRLM implementation, where SHG networks provide institutional backbone for the committees.