MGNREGA at Village Level — Set 14

Correct Answer: B. B) Mate is a worker supervisor from among the workers themselves, responsible for work organisation and muster roll

The Mate system under MGNREGA provides for selection of a lead worker from among the MGNREGA workers themselves to serve as a local work supervisor. The Mate is responsible for organising work at the site, maintaining the muster roll, coordinating with the Technical Assistant for measurement, and ensuring worksite facilities are available. Mates typically receive a small extra payment for their supervisory role. The Mate system promotes community ownership of MGNREGA implementation and provides a voice for workers at the work site. Women Mates are encouraged to increase women's leadership in programme implementation.

Correct Answer: B. B) PMGKY provided additional wage enhancement and expanded MGNREGA to absorb returned migrants during COVID-19

Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY) was an emergency relief package announced in March 2020 to support the poor during the COVID-19 lockdown. As part of PMGKY, the government significantly enhanced MGNREGA's allocation (additional Rs. 40,000 crore beyond budget) and raised the MGNREGA wage rate by Rs. 20 per day to provide relief to the millions of returned migrant workers. MGNREGA thus became the primary labour absorption mechanism under PMGKY for the rural distressed. MGNREGA provided record employment in 2020-21, demonstrating its critical role as an automatic stabiliser in rural economies during the pandemic crisis.

Correct Answer: B. B) PM-AASHA provides minimum price support to farmers while MGNREGA provides employment to farm labourers on same farmlands

Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) is a scheme for ensuring minimum support prices for farmers through procurement and price deficiency payments. It complements MGNREGA by addressing different sides of the agricultural economy: PM-AASHA stabilises farmer income from crop sales, while MGNREGA provides wage income to the landless and marginal farmers through employment on public works. When farm prices are low and farm income falls, MGNREGA employment absorbs the distress by providing alternative income. Together, they form a comprehensive rural economic security framework that addresses both the asset-owning farmers and the landless labourers.

Correct Answer: B. B) Works creating community assets on village common land benefiting all households, especially landless

MGNREGA works on common land (village commons, panchayat land, revenue wastelands) create community assets that benefit all households, particularly the landless. These include village ponds, community toilets, sheds, community wells, plantation on common land, and local area development works. Works on common land are preferred because they create public goods accessible to all, rather than private benefits. Landless agricultural labourers, who are the primary target of MGNREGA, benefit equally from common land assets. Many states have identified common land restoration and development as a priority under MGNREGA, recognising that common land resources are critical for poor rural communities' livelihoods.

Correct Answer: B. B) A unified digital platform integrating all MGNREGA operational data from job cards to wage payments

The Integrated Management Information System (IMIS), also known as Mahatma Gandhi NREGA Soft, is a unified digital platform that integrates all operational data related to MGNREGA — from job card registration and work demand to muster rolls, wage payments, and asset creation. Every transaction in MGNREGA is captured in the IMIS in near real-time, creating an unprecedented level of administrative transparency. The IMIS generates automatic alerts for delays in wage payment, enabling corrective action. Data from IMIS is publicly available on the MGNREGA website and is the primary tool for monitoring, evaluation, and accountability at all levels of government.

Correct Answer: B. B) CBOs like SHGs, women's collectives, and user groups participate in planning, monitoring, and social audit of MGNREGA

Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) including Self Help Groups, women's federations, farmers' clubs, and watershed user groups play multiple roles in MGNREGA. They facilitate demand mobilisation by helping marginalised members register job cards and apply for work; participate in Gram Sabha-level planning for the GPDP and work selection; conduct community monitoring of ongoing works; and participate in social audits as community resource persons. In states with strong CBO networks like Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Bihar, CBO involvement has significantly improved MGNREGA coverage, transparency, and accountability. CBOs serve as civil society counterparts to the formal administrative structure of MGNREGA.

Correct Answer: B. B) A toll-free number workers can call to register complaints, get information on entitlements, and track applications

The MGNREGA Helpline is a toll-free number (1800-110-707) operated by the Ministry of Rural Development to assist MGNREGA workers, Gram Panchayat functionaries, and the public. Workers can call to register complaints about wage payment delays, job card denials, or work not being provided within 15 days. The helpline provides information on entitlements, scheme guidelines, and nearest Programme Officer contacts. State governments also operate their own MGNREGA helplines in regional languages. These helplines are particularly valuable for workers in remote areas who may not have internet access but can access the helpline via basic mobile phones.

Correct Answer: B. B) Post-construction maintenance of MGNREGA assets like check dams and ponds to preserve their functionality

Annual Maintenance of MGNREGA assets refers to the regular upkeep of structures created under the scheme — including desilting ponds, repairing check dams, clearing drainage channels, and maintaining plantation. Without maintenance, MGNREGA assets lose their functionality over time. Maintenance work on existing MGNREGA assets is itself a permissible activity under the scheme, allowing employment generation while preserving asset value. Gram Panchayats are primarily responsible for maintenance of MGNREGA assets in their jurisdiction. The National Asset Directory helps track which assets need maintenance and when, and state governments are encouraged to budget specifically for MGNREGA asset maintenance.

Correct Answer: B. B) A system that electronically manages MGNREGA fund transfers from central government to implementing agencies and workers

The Electronic Fund Management System (e-FMS) under MGNREGA manages the entire fund flow electronically — from central government releases to state government accounts, district fund pools, and ultimately to worker bank accounts. The system eliminates the need for physical cheques or manual transfers, reducing the time taken for funds to reach workers. e-FMS is integrated with the IMIS and generates automatic wage payment orders when muster rolls are approved and measurement entered. States that have fully implemented e-FMS show significantly lower rates of wage payment delays compared to those with partial implementation. The World Bank has recognised MGNREGA's e-FMS as a model for efficient public works fund management.

Correct Answer: B. B) SC/ST households receive priority for individual beneficiary works on their land, promoting asset building among the most marginalised

Under MGNREGA's Individual Beneficiary Scheme (IBS), households from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes receive priority for works on their privately owned land. This includes construction of farm ponds, soil and water conservation structures, horticulture plantations, and productive infrastructure on their land. Since SC/ST households typically own small, degraded pieces of land, MGNREGA-funded works on their land improve agricultural productivity and livelihoods. Priority to SC/ST households in IBS works directly addresses historical land inequality and asset deprivation faced by these communities. States are monitored on the proportion of IBS works benefiting SC/ST households, creating an institutional incentive for equity in MGNREGA allocation.