Entitlements under MGNREGA

The ten entitlements under MGNREGA are discussed below.

Entitlement 1: Right to get Job Card

Who is eligible?

• Anyone above the age of 18 years
• Residing in a rural area
• Willing to do unskilled work

How to get a job card?

• Individuals can orally request or can submit a written application at GP Office

Do the wage seekers need to pay fee to get a job card?

• No. It is free of cost.

When the job card is not provided within 7 days (Complaint Redressal)

• The wage seeker can approach the GP, Block or District Office with a dated receipt of job card application

Entitlement 2: Right to demand work and get it

Who is eligible?

Every adult member of a registered household whose name appears in the Job Card shall be entitled to apply for unskilled manual work.

Duration of work ?

Normally, applications for work must be for at least fourteen days of continuous work, other than the works relating to access to sanitation facilities, for which application for work shall be for atleast six days of continuous work. There shall be no limit on the number of days of employment for which a person may apply, or on the number of days of employment actually provided subject to the aggregate entitlement of the household.

Entitlement 3: Right to Unemployment Allowance

When is a wage seeker entitled to an unemployment allowance?

If demanded employment is not provided within 15 days, the applicant is entitled to an unemployment allowance.

How much unemployment allowance?

• At least one-fourth of the minimum wage for the first 30 days
• Half of the minimum wage thereafter

Who provides the unemployment allowance if not received?

The state provides the unemployment allowance.

Entitlement 4: Right to plan and prepare the shelf of project

Who plans the works?

• Gram Sabha plans and prepares the list of work from the permissible works list
• Gram Sabha also prioritises the sequence of execution of work from the list

What is Shelf of Work?

• Shelf of work is the approved list of available work at GP level - Before the commencement of the financial year, the shelf of work should be ready for starting of work when demanded

Entitlement 5: Right to obtain work within the radius of 5 km of the village

If the work is provided beyond 5 kms, a travel allowance of 10% of the wage needs to be paid.

Entitlement 6: Right to Work Facilities

What are work site facilities?

• Safe drinking water
• Shade for wage seekers
• First aid box
• Crèche facility
• 5 or more children (below the age of 6 years) accompanying women workers at the work site should be looked after by a caretaker
• Ex-gratia payment: In case of accidental death or permanent disability at work site
• Medical treatment: Charges towards medical treatment in the case of personal injury during employment under the scheme
• These facilities must be provided by the implementing agencies.

Entitlement 7: Right to receive wages within 15 days

• Workers are entitled to receive daily wages on a weekly basis, and definitely within 15 days from the date on which such work was done
• Payment should be made directly in the bank account or post office account of the wage Seeker
• Cash payment is not allowed

Entitlement 8: Right to Compensation for delay in wage payment

• If wages are not paid within 15 days, the worker is entitled for a delayed-payment compensation.
• Compensation for delayed wage-payment = Daily Wage + 0.05% of the unpaid wage per day

Entitlement 9: Right to time-bound redressal of grievances

Grievance Redressal has to be done within 7 days of complaint. The worker will receive a dated acknowledgement of the complaint letter submitted at the GP, Block or District level.

What is the process for registering a complaint?

• Write a complaint and submit it at GP level
• If not resolved, the complainant can go to the Block level
• If not resolved at the block level within 7 days, the complainant can go the district level
• If not resolved at the district level within 15 days, the complaint can be filed with the Ombudsman

Entitlement 10: Right to conduct Concurrent Social Audit and Social Audit

Section 17 (A) gives the right to the citizen to conduct social audit of all works and expenditure incurred under MGNREGA.

Source : Village Resource Persons Training Manual for Social Audit of Managers