The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development has submitted its report to the Lok Sabha.

• It suggests that the Central Government must increase the small number of pensions provided for poor senior citizens, widows and disabled people under the National Social Assistance Programme(NSAP).

About National Social Assistance Programme(NSAP):

• Nodal Ministry: It was launched in 1995. It is a welfare programme administered by the Ministry of Rural Development.
• The programme is being implemented in rural areas as well as urban areas.

Aim: To provide financial assistance to the elderly, widows and persons with disabilities in the form of social pensions.

Current Schemes under NSAP: There are 5 different schemes being implemented as part of NSAP:

• Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme(IGNOAPS): Under this, senior citizens of the Below Poverty Line(BPL) households will get Rs 200 to Rs 500 a month.
• Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS): Under this, widows aged over 40 years in BPL households will get Rs 300 to Rs 500 a month.
• Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme(IGNDPS): Under this, Rs 300 a month will be provided for persons aged 18-79 years with severe or multiple disabilities in BPL households.
• National Family Benefit Scheme(NFBS): Under this, Rs 20,000 are provided upon the death of a breadwinner aged 18-59 in BPL households.
• Annapurna Scheme: Under the scheme, senior citizens not receiving any pension benefit will get 10 kg of food grains (wheat or rice) per month at free of cost.

Parliamentary report on MGNREGA:

• Delay in Payment of MNREGA Wages
• Weak Implementation by States. Not implemented in letter and spirit at the grass-root level
• The disparity in MGNREGA Wages between States.

What is MGNREGA?

• The MGNREGA is an employment guarantee act introduced in 2005 through the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005.

Aim:

• To enhance the livelihood security of households in rural areas of India

Objectives:

• To provide guaranteed 100 days of wage employment per year to each rural household
• Creation of durable rural assets
• Social inclusion of women, SCs and STs
• Strengthen the Panchayati Raj Institutions

Coverage:

• The Act currently covers all districts with the exception of those that have a 100% urban population.

Key Features:

• Demand-driven scheme: Worker to be hired when he demands and not when the Government wants it.
• Gram Panchayat is mandated to provide employees with 15 days of work application, failing which worker is entitled to unemployment allowance
• Payment of wages within 15 days of competition of work, failing which worker is entitled to delay compensation of 0.05%/ day of wages earned
• Minimum one-third of the workers should be women
• Wages to be paid according to the Minimum Wages Act 1948 for agricultural labourers in the State
• Social Audit to be done by Gram Sabha