Ranchi: In a bid to check corruption in
payment of MGNREGA wages, the government plans to introduce
videography during the process, Union Rural Development
Minister Jairam Ramesh said here on Saturday.
"Videography will be used in the presence of officials
while giving wages to the MGNREGA beneficiaries from now to
ensure proper and timely payment," Ramesh said.
Recalling how corruption in the social audit of MGNREGA
had claimed Niyamat Ansari, who exposed corruption by
middlemen in Latehar in March this year, the minister said
cash payment was introduced to make payment faster.
"In several remote areas there are neither post offices
nor banks. Therefore, cash payment has been introduced in such
places," Ramesh said when asked about the change in procedure
of payments.
Cash was used to be the mode of payment in initial years
after NREGA came in force. Later, it was decided bank/post
office passbooks would be given to beneficiaries to prevent
middlemen scooping up commission from the labourers.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, December 03, 2011, 19:02