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No.F.23012/29/14-RD(NREGS)

GOVERNMENT OF MIZORAM

RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

Dated Aizawl, the 24th April 2014

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject:Roadmap for Inter – Departmental Convergence of MGNREGA with Other Schemes for the year 2014-2015 in Mizoram under MGNREGA

1.BACKGROUND FOR CONVERGENCE

1.1Ministryof Rural Development, Government of India issued various instructions relating to convergence of MGNREGA and other schemes for strengthening and improving the rural economy and rural livelihood to address the problems and issues of the rural poor in the implementation of MGNREGA and other schemes. To address effectively the issue of rural poverty alleviation through MGNREGA, inter-departmental convergence programmes have been introduced by the Ministry of Rural Development.

1.2In consonance with the instructions issued by Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, a State Level Convergence Workshop was held in Mizoram on 19th March 2014 with Line Departments. Consequent upon the convergence workshop held in Mizoram, a series of meetings and consultations were held between the proposed converging departments with MGNREGA for the financial year 2014-2015; Rural Development Department as a pilot project for the year 2014-2015 has selected the following sector for convergence namely; rubber plantation with Soil & Water Conservation Department, silkworm development with Sericulture Department, pisciculture development with Fisheries Department and horticulture development with Horticulture Department. A series of Joint Convergence Guidelines of MGNREGA and Other Schemes like Soil & Water Conservation Department, Fisheries Department, Sericulture Department and Horticulture Department have been issued after obtaining approval of the concerned Ministers. Hence, this Roadmap has the approval of the concerned Department Ministers and circulated to the department concerned.

2.EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

2.1This is the Roadmap for the Convergence of MGNREGA with Other Schemes in Mizoram. It is a vision document, which charts future path of selected convergence agenda for the implementation of MGNREGA. The Roadmap visions a proper inter – departmental participation and sets out strategy to accomplish the vision. This strategy includes activities to be undertaken at the State Government level as well as at the District and Block level, assignment of specific responsibilities at various levels along with targeted deliverables/timeframe to achieve the goal.

2.2Government of India has already emphasized the importance of convergence under MGNREGA as numerous numbers of projects had been taken up under MGNREGA without any tangible results. Due to this, 2014-2015 has been declared as the year of convergence by Ministry of Rural Development. It was seen that during the last eight years, amount of money released to States by the Central Government do not commensurate the quantum of assets created by the States.

2.3Government of India, Ministry of Rural Development has earmarked 1.44 crore persondays for Mizoram for the year 2014-2015. The following is the total number of Job Card holders and projected persondays and projected expenditure in Mizoram as per Approved Labour Budget 2014-2015.

Sl.No / District / Projected no of household / Projected persondays to be generated for 2014-2015 / Amount projected for expenditure for 2014-2015 (wage, skilled & semi-skilled and admin expenses – Rs in lakhs)
1 / Saiha / 14221 / 1107674 / 3326.715
2 / Lawngtlai / 27936 / 2175900 / 6535.060
3 / Lunglei / 35499 / 2765000 / 8304.210
4 / Champhai / 29032 / 2261400 / 6791.740
5 / Aizawl / 26743 / 2083012 / 6255.980
6 / Serchhip / 14098 / 1098087 / 3297.938
7 / Mamit / 20300 / 1563005 / 4694.227
8 / Kolasib / 18100 / 1409809 / 4234.126
TOTAL / 185929 / 14463887 / 43439.996 lakhs

3.IDENTIFICATION OF NODAL OFFICERS

Rural Development Department, Government of Mizoram has already identified and appointed Deputy Secretary, Rural Development Department as the Nodal Officer for Convergence of MGNREGA with Other Schemes. Nodal Officers will also be appointed by the converging departments.

4.COORINATION COMMITTEES

4.1A State Coordination Committee has been set up for Convergence of MGNREGA with Secretary to the Government of Mizoram, Rural Development Department as Chairman and all Directors of the converging departments and Joint Secretary, Rural Development Department as Members.

4.2At the District level, District Programme Coordinator, MGNREGA as Chairman, District Programme Officer, MGNREGA, Programme Officers or BDO and the District Officers of various converging departments as Members.

4.3Block Coordination Committee consists of the Block Development Officer or Programme Officer, MGNREGA as Chairman and the line departments and Village Council concerned where convergence is taking place.

5.NON NEGOTIABLES IN WORK EXECUTION

5.1Only job cardholders will be employed for the unskilled part of work. It is necessary that the beneficiary is also a job card holder and work on muster as unskilled labour on his/her plantation.

5.2Muster Rolls will be maintained on the worksite by the implementing agency concerned with copies to the Gram Panchayat.

5.3Wage payments will be done only through banks/post office accounts unless exempted by Ministry of Rural Development

5.4No contractor and labour displacement machine will be deployed for raising any work.

5.5Record of employment generated under convergence will be maintained separately

5.6The individual household beneficiary in the cluster shall be a household eligible under MGNREGA for work on private land/homestead

5.7Every cluster will be treated as a MGNREGA project for the purpose of:

i)Giving a unique work ID

ii)Entry in Works and Asset register

iii)Social Audit by Gram Sabha

iv)Evaluation by Vigilance and Monitoring Committee

5.8Each GP will maintain a complete list of all clusters with member beneficiaries with their Job Card number and activities carried out by the clusters under MGNREGA or otherwise. In the asset register, the breakup of the assistance/subsidy utilized from Line Departments, beneficiary’s own contribution and the expenditure from MGNREGA will be shown separately.

6.MODES OF CONVERGENCE OF MGNREGA WITH SELECTED SCHEMES

6.1Under MGNREGA, labour component of 100% wage can be extended to the Line Departments and upto 40% of the material cost can be funded to the line departments. The following is the inter-sectoral activities of convergence.Various Guidelines for Convergence of MGNREGA and Other Schemes have been issued and circulated by the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India. However, for the initial years, the Government of Mizoram after obtaining approval from concerned Ministers, the following area of convergence will be taken up under MGNREGA for the year 2014-2015:

6.1.1MGNREGA and Rubber Plantation with Soil & Water Conservation Department:For the pilot project, Zawlnuam village under Zawlnuam RD Block and Bilkhawthlir village under Bilkhawthlir RD Block have been identified and selected by the Soil & Water Conservation Department for the year 2014-2015.

6.1.2MGNREGA and Silkworm Development with Sericulture Department:For the year 2014-2015, Sericulture Department proposed to implement silkworm development under MGNREGA and Sericulture Department in the whole of Mizoram.

6.1.3MGNREGA and Pisciculture Development with Fisheries Department:For the pilot project, selected villages under Kolasib District, Mamit District, Champhai District and Serchhip District have been identified and selected by the Fisheries Department for the year 2014-2015.

6.1.4MGNREGA and Horticulture Development with Horticulture Department:For the pilot project, Sateek village under Aibawk RD Block, Tlangnuam village under Tlangnuam RD Block and Hnahlan village under Champhai RD Block have been identified and selected by the Horticulture Department for the year 2014-2015.

6.1.5Though Ministry of Rural Development has issued various instructions relating to convergence of other schemes and considering the time limit and late preparation of the State of Mizoram, only four areas of sectors mentioned above can be taken for the current financial year 2014-2015 as the pilot project. Convergence of MGNREGA with other schemes will be taken up in due course with other converging departments from the next financial year.

6.1.6Since there are areas of concern or duties of each converging departments while linking the MGNREGA, the activities of each converging department can also be different. The following is the illustrative inter-sectoral activities for MGNREGA and Line Departments for the convergence mode. The list is only an illustration and activities to be taken up under MGNREGA or Line Department can be introduced at the field level in consultation with the concerned converging departments.

Sector / Under MGNREGA / Under Line Departments
Rubber /
  • Terracing
  • Clearing
  • Pitting & Refilling
  • Weeding & Mulching
/
  • Planting Materials
  • Plant Protection & Tree Guards
  • Disease Management
  • Fertilizers & Pesticides
  • Leguminous Cover Crop
  • Technical Assistance
  • Pruning & Branch Induction

Silkworm /
  • Land Preparation
  • Planting
  • Digging & Weeding
/
  • Technical Support
  • Tools & Appliances
  • Fertilizers & Pesticides
  • Drip Irrigation
  • Mulberry Sapling
  • Rearing Houses

Pisciculture /
  • Construction of ponds
  • Desilting of existing ponds
/
  • Fingerlings
  • Manure
  • Artificial Feeds
  • Fishing Nets
  • Technical Support

Horticulture /
  • Digging of Pits
  • Trenches
  • Fillings & Weeding
/
  • Saplings & Seedlings
  • Fertilizers & Pesticides
  • Drip Irrigation
  • Manures
  • Green Houses
  • Technical Support

7.SECTORAL ALLOCATION OF VARIOUS SCHEMES

Projected Household Demands as per
2014-2015 LB / Projected Persondays as per 2014-2015 LB / Projected Expenditure (Rs in lakh) as per 2014-2015 LB
185929 / 14463887 / 43439.996 lakhs
Line Departments
/Activities / Projected Expenditure (Rs in lakh) / Total / % of allocation out of total outlay(MGNREGA) / Persondays (in lakhs) to be generated / Convergent activities and outcome
MGNREGA / Line Deptt
Rubber
Plantation / 208.815 / 531.00 / 739.815 / 0.48% / 1.228 / To improve rural economy and sustainable livelihood
Silkworm
Development / 1422.197 / 97.82 / 1520.017 / 3.27% / 8.365 / For sustainable livelihood and employment generation
Pisciculture
Development / 3066.25 / 1533.175 / 4599.425 / 7.05% / 18.036 / For adding nutritional value and to accelerate rural economy
Horticulture
Development / 980.95 / 390.85 / 1371.80 / 2.25% / 5.770 / To enhance rural livelihood and strengthen rural economy
TOTAL / 5678.212 / 2552.845 / 8231.057 / 13.05% / 33.399

8.TARGETS UNDER CONVERGENCE

Target for Convergence of MGNREGA with Other Schemes for the year 2014-2015 is as follow: (under MGNREGA only)

Activities / Type of Works / Household to be covered (in Nos) / Physical Target / Financial Target (Rs in lakhs) / Unskilledlabour per Unit / Total Persondays
Rubber
Plantation / Creation/
Wage / 222 / 172 Ha / 208.815 / 125/Ha / 122800
Silkworm
Development / Creation/
Wage / 2541 / 2541 Ha / 1422.197 / 73/Ha / 836500
Pisciculture
Development / Creation/
Wage / 655 / 655 Ha / 3066.25 / 66/Ha / 1803600
Horticulture
Development / Creation/
Wage / 176 / 176 Ha / 980.95 / 112/Ha / 577700
TOTAL / 3594 / 3544 / 5678.212 / 3340600

9.PROCESS OF CONVERGENCE

The implementation process of MGNREGA ia a bottom up, demand driven programme where Annual Work Plan or Shelf of Project are initiated at the grassroot level through assembly of villagers (Gram Sabha), the programmes and schemes under the converging departments for rubber plantation, silkworm development, pisciculture development and horticulture developmentare based on allocation made by Planning Department through each department. Therefore, the process of convergence can be taken place with the following activities and responsibilities

Activity / MGNREGA / Line Department / Outcome
Preparation of Shelf of Project / Gram Sabha to select list of works on priority basis / Technical support and identification of beneficiaries under convergence / Both MGNREGA and line departments to follow Shelf of Project made by Gram Sabha
Assigning the quantum of physical target / Bottom up with Gram Sabha deciding the quantum / Top down. Districts based and cluster based / Proper coordination of MGNREGA and line department
Identification of beneficiaries / Bottom up. Gram Sabha to select.Line Department to make suggestive list / Line departments to submit suggestive list of beneficiaries and forward to MGNREGA / Inter-linkage between the MGNREGA and line departments
Synchronization of activities / Labour demand by job card holders / Line department to follow seasonality of work based on scientific method / Planning in advance to ensure that the activities of the MGNREGA and line departments are synchronized and the timing of labour demand matches with the seasonality of the work

10.COSTING

Estimates will be jointly prepared by the DPC, MGNREGA and line departments following the national and state level norms, duly delineating the activities to be taken up along with the calendar of works. For wage component, piece rate basis should also be provided to ensure optimum work output of the wage seekers.

11.LOCATION

The location of the village clusters at the Village Council level will be identified jointly by the concerned district level officers of the MGNREGA and line departments in consultation with the Village Employment Council.

12.IDENTIFICATION OF BENEFICIARIES

The beneficiaries will be identified by the Gram Sabha in consultation with the Line Departments during the Labour Budget Planning at the Village level which normally takes place during October – November.

13.COORDINATION

13.1Planning:The location of the village clusters at the Village Council level will be identified jointly by the concerned district level officers of the MGNREGA and line departments. The joint estimate shall be used for estimating the cost of the project, while the beneficiaries shall be identified in the Labour Budget at the Gram Sabha level.

13.2Sanction:Under MGNREGA, the technical sanction of the convergence scheme will be accorded by the DPC at the district level. The financial sanction shall be accorded by the DPC.

13.3Implementation:The work commencement order needs to be signed by the Programme Officer after obtaining approval from the DPC and the line department. Work Completion Certificate shall be signed jointly by the Programme Officer and the district officers of the line departments. Photographs of Before, During and After need to be maintained and recorded which will be uploaded in the NREGASoft, if any.

13.4Meetings:Coordination meetings will be regularly held at the District levels between the concerned officials of the MGNREGA and the line departments to address the problems and sort out issues arising out of convergence.

14.ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Sl.No / Activity / Responsibility
1 / Preparation of Annual Work Plan or Shelf of Projects / Gram Sabha at the Village level
2 / Identification of beneficiaries / Gram Sabha and line departments
3 / Identification of area, clusters / Line Departments
4 / Providing unique work ID / Village Employment Council through Programme Officer
5 / Providing planting materials which is of suitable height, healthy and good genetic make-up and fingerlings / Line Departments. MGNREGA may also provide upto 40% of material component
6 / Timely supply of quality seedlingsor fingerlings up to the road-head of the work site / Line Departments
7 / Receipt of seedlings, fertilizers, bio-compost, pesticides, fingerlings and other materials / Village Employment Council
8 / Lifting of seedlings, fingerlings etc from the road-head of the work site to the fields of farmers / Village Employment Council (Job Card holders)
9 / Timely Wage Payment / Programme Officer
10 / Entry of data in MIS / Programme Officer
11 / Social Audit / Gram Sabha
12 / Providing technical support to farmers / Line Departments
13 / Providing market linkages to the farmers / Line Departments. NLUP may also be approached
14 / Project Information Board at the work site indicating convergence / Village Employment Council through Programme Officer

15.CONVERGENCE ROADMAP WITH DEADLINE

All the activities which are to be taken up under convergence for the financial year 2014-2015 are seasonal activities except rubber plantation, there is a need to ensure that the scheduling of the activities are done meticulously so that the components from the converging departments join seamlessly into one project. The scheduling of activities during implementation will be provided for in the joint estimate, which will be specific to the type of the project undertaken and hence only the planning calendar is placed below

Activity / Apr / May / Jun / Jul / Aug / Sep / Oct / Nov / Dec / Jan / Feb / Mar
Identification of beneficiaries at Gram Sabha* by RD & Line Depttt
Preparation of Joint Estimates by RD & Line Depttt
District Level Convergence Meetings for selection of clusters
Estimation of selected projects by RD Deptt
Technical Sanction under MGNREGA by Line Departments
Financial Sanction by DPC
Entry of data into NREGASoft by DPC or PO
Technical and Financial Sanction of the convergence schemes by DPC

* delay due to enforcement of Model Code of Conduct

16.MONITORING AND EVALUATION

Monitoring and Evaluation of the outcomes shall be carried out by the district and head of the respective departments both individually and jointly as well. Monitoring reports shall be shared by the Rural Development Department and Line Departments. Rural Development Department and Line Departments will evaluate the outcome of this convergence initiative and mutually decide on further extending this convergence framework, suspending it for some time or even terminating it after giving an advance notice of 3 months.

17.TRANSPARENCY SAFEGUARDS

Considering that the MGNREGA and other line departments are working in the same area by dove-tailing their components it is imperative that duplication of the activities or double payment or double billing be avoided. Rural Development Department and Line Departments need to ensure that the following transparency safeguards are strictly adhered to.

17.1For every project, a unique work ID will be generated by the NREGASoft which needs to be referred to in all the administrative and financial records of Rural Development Department and Line Departments.

17.2The Joint Estimate needs to clearly delineate the activities of the Rural Development Department and Line Departments in component wise, and the funds need to be strictly utilized for the earmarked activities to prevent duplication.

17.3Joint Project Information Board will be set up at the worksite which will be funded under MGNREGA and will indicate the investments of Rural Development Department and Line Departments clearly.

18.SOCIAL AUDIT

Both officials of the MGNREGA and the Line Departments shall attend and present at the Social Audit when conducted with expenditure vouchers from the Line Departments.

19.OTHER ISSUES

Rural Development Department and Line Departments shall adhere to the instruction issued by the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India and the instruction of the State Government from time to time.

Sd/-LALRINLIANA FANAI

Commissioner & Secretary

to the Government of Mizoram

Rural Development Department

Memo No.F.23012/29/14-RD(NREGS)Dated Aizawl, the 24th April 2014

Copy to:

1.Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Mizoram, for information

2.PS to Hon’ble Minister, Rural Development Department for information

3.PS to Hon’ble Minister, Soil & Water Conservation Dept for information

4.PS to Hon’ble Minister, Fisheries Department for information

5.PS to Hon’ble Minister, Sericulture Department for information

6.PS to Hon’ble Minister, Horticulture Department for information

7.PS to Hon’ble Parliamentary Secretary, RD etc for information

8.Sr PPS to Chief Secretary, Government of Mizoram for information

9.Secretary, Soil & Water Conservation Department for information

10.Secretary, Fisheries Department for information