In his remarks, Dr. C.P.Joshi complimented the working groups called upon the Council members to examine the reports submitted by the Six working Groups and identify core recommendations so that the process to streamline the implementation of Mahatma Gandhi NREGA can be unfolded gradually. He informed the members that many recommendations need to undergo financial and legal scrutiny .The minister said that the delays and denial in payment of wages is the primary concern which needs to be addressed. He emphasized the need to address the issue of corruption in the scheme and said ICT would play a major role in overcoming it. In this context he referred to the use of Biometric system and collaboration with UIAID to provide unique Identity to the rural poor. Dr. Joshi said the issue regarding enlarging the scope of works under MGNREGA can be addressed in consultation with States following due procedure. Lamenting the lack of infrastructure in Panchayats, the Minister said that there is a need to have a Panchayat Ghar in each of the Panchayats and help in building further capacity with Bharat Nirman Rajiv Gandhi Sewa Kendras. Dr. Joshi underlined the fact that regular dialogue and debate on effective implementation of MGNREGA is the need of the hour. The next meeting of the Council is likely to be held in last week of September.

The Council members raised several issues during the meeting. Aruna Roy mentioned that there should be a time frame for the implementation of the recommendations. She said that the Social Audits in the Gram Panchayats should be conducted by a third party and not the Sarpanch himself. Jean Dreze stressed the need to link wages under MGNREGA with Consumer Price Index. Madhusudan Mistry expressed concern over delay in payment of wages and violation of rules. He lamented the fact that State Council meetings have not been organized in many States. Member, Planning Commission, Mihir Shah congratulated the efforts of the working groups and said the Ministry viewpoints should be reflected in the report as well. He suggested that a clear road map of priorities and sequences must be set by the Ministry and if required a small core Group may examine the recommendations and come forward with the priorities. Ashwini Kumar called for a calibrated response to build a framework for implementation of recommendations. Secretary Rural Development, Rajasthan emphasized the need to harmonize recommendations .The representative of Chattisgarh said the cap of 100 days of work should not be insisted upon.

The meeting was attended by the Minister of State for Rural development, Pradeep Jain Aditya, Secretary Rural Development B.K.Sinha, Secretary Panchayati Rj, A.N.P.Sinha, Member Planning Commission Mihir Shah along with other senior officials of the Ministry. Among the Council members Shri Nana Gawande, M.I. Shanavas, MP, Narayansingh Amlabe, M.P.L.S., Prof. Moolchand Sharma, Aruna Roy, Jean Dreze, Ashwini Kumar, Madhusudan Mistry, Renuka Chaudhary, Rangu Rao, Sanjay Dixit, K.S. Gopal, , R. Subramaniam , V. Giriraj, Secretary (EGS), R.D. Dhiman, Secretary (RD & PR),Himachal Pradesh, Kiran Karnik took part in the deliberations. Representatives from Ministry Of Law and Justice , Ministry Of Labour, Tribal Affairs, Women and Child Development , Panchayati Raj participated in the meeting along with the representatives from Govt. Of Karnataka, Jammu & Kashmir, Nagaland, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh.

The recommendations of six Working Groups were compiled into a “Synthesis Report” by NIRD before the Council today under the following heads -

· Recommendations of Management Issues

· Recommendations on Planning Process

· Recommendations on Convergence

· Recommendations on Wage Issues

· Recommendations on Worksite Facilities

· Recommendations on Capacity Building Issues

· Recommendations on Social Security Issues

· Recommendations on Permissible Works

· Recommendations on Days of Employment

· Recommendations on Unit of Employment

· Recommendations on Transparency and Accountability Issues

The six working Groups were constituted on 4th March 2010 by the Ministry Of Rural Development . These include

1. Working Group on Planning and Execution: Chaired by Shri Rangu Rao.

2. Working Group on Capacity Building: Chaired by Prof Ashwani Kumar.

3. Working Group on Specific needs of specific category of workers : Chaired by Smt. Renuka Choudhari

4. Working Group on Works to be taken up on individual land: Chaired by Smt. Renuka Choudhari

5. Working Group on Wages: Chaired by Prof Jean Dreze

6. Working Group on Transparency and Accountability: Chaired by Smt. Aruna Roy

Subsequently a Coordination Group chaired by Shri Madhusudana Mistry and all the Working Group Chairpersons was set up to facilitate the presentation of reports of working Groups to the Central Employment Guarantee Council.All the six Working Groups have wider consultations with a cross section of stakeholders and also visited selected states to understand the field level problems.The Working Groups have submitted the reports to MoRD during June and July 2010. The Chairpersons of the four Working Groups made te presentation of their recommendations of 12th & 13th July 2010 at NIRD, Hyderabad. The Chairpersons of Working Groups on Wages and Transparency and Accountability presented their recommendations of 15th July 2010 at MoRD. The representatives of the MoRD also participated during the presentation of all Working Groups. During discussions, the members also considered various provisions of the Act and guidelines vis-à-vis the recommendation.

Members of the Central Employment Guarantee Council (CEGC) include representatives from the Central Government, the State Governments, Panchayati Raj Institutions , organizations of workers and disadvantaged groups with the representatives from women and members of Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, the Other Backward Castes and Minorities. The Central Employment Guarantee Council is mandated to perform the following functions and duties (a) establish a central evaluation and monitoring system; (b) advise the Central Government on all matters concerning the implementation of this Act; (c) review the monitoring and grievance redressal mechanism from time to time and recommend improvements required; (d) promote the widest possible dissemination of information about the Schemes made under this Act; (e) monitoring the implementation of this Act; (f) preparation of annual reports to be laid before Parliament by the Central Government on the implementation of this Act; (g) any other duty or function as may be assigned to it by the Central Government. In addition it is authorized to have the power to undertake evaluation of the various Schemes made under this Act and for that purpose collect or cause to be collected statistics pertaining to the rural economy and the implementation of the Schemes.