MGNREGA at Village Level — Set 7

Correct Answer: B. B) A mobile application for real-time attendance marking with geo-tagged photographs at MGNREGA work sites

The National Mobile Monitoring System (NMMS) is a mobile application introduced by the Ministry of Rural Development for real-time attendance marking at MGNREGA work sites using geo-tagged photographs. Mate (junior supervisor) or authorised officials capture photographs of workers at the work site with GPS location tags, uploading attendance directly to the MIS in real time. NMMS was introduced to eliminate fake muster rolls and ghost workers from MGNREGA. It has been made mandatory at work sites above a certain scale, and states are required to achieve 100% NMMS-based attendance marking. The system significantly improves transparency and reduces fraudulent wage claims.

Correct Answer: B. B) MKSP uses MGNREGA convergence to support women farmers with training and resource access

Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP) is a sub-component of NRLM that specifically focuses on empowering women farmers. It converges with MGNREGA to build on women's participation in the programme and strengthen their capacity as agricultural producers. Under MKSP-MGNREGA convergence, women who work in MGNREGA are provided with training in sustainable agricultural practices, organic farming, and homestead cultivation. MKSP uses SHG networks to organise women MGNREGA workers into farmer collectives that have better access to seeds, credit, and markets. This convergence transforms MGNREGA from a pure employment programme to a comprehensive livelihood development initiative for women.

Correct Answer: B. B) It provides for priority employment to the most vulnerable groups including SC/ST households

Section 3(3) of MGNREGA provides that in the implementation of the scheme, priority shall be given to women in such a way that at least one-third of the beneficiaries shall be women who have registered and requested for work under the scheme. This priority clause ensures that MGNREGA actively promotes gender equity in rural employment. The provision has contributed to making MGNREGA one of the largest employers of rural women in the world, with women constituting over 55% of workers nationally. States are monitored on their women's participation ratio, and low-performing states are advised on strategies to improve women's inclusion.

Correct Answer: B. B) Wages are transferred directly to workers' bank/post office accounts without intermediaries

Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in MGNREGA means wages are electronically transferred directly to workers' individual bank accounts or post office accounts, bypassing all intermediaries including contractors, Gram Panchayat staff, and middlemen. This was a major reform introduced after 2008 to eliminate leakages and corruption in wage payment. Workers must have a bank or post office account (linked with Job Card) to receive wages. The DBT-MGNREGA payment system is one of the largest DBT programmes in the world. Combined with Aadhaar seeding, DBT has significantly reduced wage diversion and ensured that wages reach intended beneficiaries.

Correct Answer: B. B) 50%

Under MGNREGA, at least 50% of the works in terms of cost must be executed by Gram Panchayats. The remaining works can be executed by intermediate Panchayats, District Panchayats, line departments, and other agencies approved by the state government. This provision ensures that a significant portion of MGNREGA implementation remains at the grassroots level under democratic community control. In practice, the Centre has been encouraging states to increase the Gram Panchayat share beyond 50% to enhance local ownership and accountability. States that achieve higher GP share of works are considered better performers in MGNREGA implementation.

Correct Answer: B. B) List of permissible works that can be taken up under MGNREGA

Schedule I of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 lists the categories of permissible works that can be undertaken under the scheme. These include water conservation and water harvesting, drought proofing, irrigation canals, renovation of traditional water bodies, land development, flood control, rural connectivity, and works for individual beneficiaries from vulnerable households. The Schedule ensures that MGNREGA works are limited to unskilled labour-intensive activities that create durable community assets. The Ministry of Rural Development periodically updates the Schedule to include new categories of works in response to emerging rural development needs.

Correct Answer: B. B) An integrated planning document linking MGNREGA works with other schemes at Gram Panchayat level

The MGNREGA Convergence Master Plan is an integrated planning exercise at the Gram Panchayat level that maps how MGNREGA labour can be combined with material components of other central and state government schemes to create comprehensive rural infrastructure. The Master Plan identifies works from the GPDP that can benefit from convergence with schemes like PMGSY, PMKSY, SBM, JJM, and PMAY. By coordinating timing and resource allocation across schemes, the Master Plan ensures that MGNREGA employment generation is aligned with the creation of durable, productive assets. The Master Plan approach has been piloted in several states and is being scaled up as best practice.

Correct Answer: B. B) The state government can stop fund release and recover misutilised amounts through designated authority

Under MGNREGA, if a Gram Panchayat misutilises funds, the state government has the authority to stop further fund releases, order recovery of misutilised amounts, and take disciplinary action against responsible officials. Section 27 of the Act empowers designated authorities to investigate complaints of fund misutilisation and order recovery. Social audit findings of irregularities must be acted upon within a specified time period. The state government can also devolve implementation to the block or district level if a Gram Panchayat repeatedly fails in its duties. Multiple court judgments have reinforced the accountability framework for fund misutilisation under MGNREGA.

Correct Answer: B. B) To allow workers to check job card status, work demand, and payment details

MGNREGA Seva is a citizen-facing mobile application that allows MGNREGA workers and the public to check job card details, work demand status, wage payment information, and asset creation data. The app provides transparency and access to entitlements without requiring workers to visit Gram Panchayat offices. It is part of the government's digital empowerment initiative to make MGNREGA information accessible to all. The app is available in multiple regional languages to ensure accessibility across linguistic communities.

Correct Answer: B. B) Annual projection of person-days of employment, finalised before start of financial year

The Labour Budget under MGNREGA is an annual projection of the total person-days of wage employment expected to be provided in a state during a financial year. It is prepared district-wise, aggregated to state level, and submitted to the Ministry of Rural Development before the commencement of the new financial year. The Labour Budget is used to determine the central fund release to states under MGNREGA. States with higher Labour Budget utilisation receive priority in fund allocation, creating an incentive for active programme implementation.