Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Program, MGNREGA was earlier known as National Rural Employment Scheme, NREGA. It is an Indian Social Welfare Program that aimed at fulfilling the ‘Right to Work’ provisions made in the Constitution. MGNREGA was launched in 2006 under Rural Employment Sector by the Ministry of Rural Development. Main objective of the program is to give legal guarantee of wage employment to the adult members of rural households who are willing to do unskilled manual labour work subject to a maximum of 100 days per year for every household. Every rural household has the right to register under the scheme, job card is issued to the registered, Job Card holder can seek employment; State Government shall pay 25% of minimum wage for the first 30 days as compensatory daily unemployment allowance to the families and of wage for remaining period of the year. MGNREGA work was undertaken by various Gram Panchayats. You have been appointed as an Administrator Incharge of the District. You have been given the responsibility of monitoring MGNREGA work undertaken by various Gram Panchayats. You are also given the authority to give technical sanctions to all MGNREGA works. In one of the Panchayats in your jurisdiction, you notice that your predecessor has mismanaged the Program in terms of: (i) Money not disbursed to actual job-seekers. (ii) Muster Rolls of the Labourers not properly maintained. (iii) Mismatch between the work done and payments made. (iv) Payments made to fictitious persons. (v) Job Cards were given without looking into the need of person. (vi) Mismanagement of funds and to the extent of siphoning of funds. (vii) Approved works that never existed. (a) What is your reaction to the above situation and how do you restore the proper functioning of MGNREGA Program in this regard? (b) What actions would you initiate to solve the various issues listed above? (c) How would you deal with the above situation?

This case study tests Probity in Governance, Accountability, Transparency,

Social Justice, Public Service Values, Ethical Leadership, Anti-Corruption Measures, and Welfare Administration.

A high-scoring answer should focus on protecting the rights of the rural poor while ensuring strict accountability for misuse of public funds.

Ethical Issues Involved

Stakeholders

• Corruption and misuse of public funds.
• Rural labourers families.
• Violation of the Right to Work.
• Gram Panchayat.
• Exploitation populations.
• District Administration.
• State Government.
• Taxpayers. of
• Breach of public trust.
• Lack of vulnerable transparency and and
• Honest field officials. accountability.
• Local community.
• Conflict between public duty and personal gain.
• Future beneficiaries

MGNREGA.

• Administrative negligence. their of
• Reaction and Restoration of Proper Functioning My immediate reaction would be one of serious concern because the irregularities represent not merely administrative lapses but a betrayal of the rights of vulnerable rural households. MGNREGA is a rights-based welfare scheme aimed at livelihood security, and corruption directly harms the poorest sections.

Immediate Priorities

Guiding Values

• Stop further financial leakages.
• Integrity
• Conduct audit.
• Accountability
• Transparency

Ensure wage payments reach genuine beneficiaries.

• Compassion
• Commitment to Public Service
• Fix accountability.
• Social Justice
• Restore public trust in the scheme.
• a comprehensive
• Actions to Address Specific Issues

Issue

Action

Money not disbursed Verify beneficiaries through Aadhaar, bank accounts, to actual workers and job cards; release pending wages immediately Muster rolls maintained not Conduct physical verification; digitize through NMMS/mobile-based monitoring attendance Mismatch between Technical inspection and measurement of works; work and payment recover excess payments Payments to fictitious Identify ghost beneficiaries; freeze payments; initiate persons criminal proceedings Improper issue of job Re-verify eligibility through Gram Sabha and household cards surveys Siphoning of funds Financial audit, vigilance inquiry, recovery proceedings, disciplinary action Non-existent works Physical verification, geo-tagging, FIR against responsible officials, blacklisting contractors/intermediaries

• Dealing with the Situation
• I would adopt a three-pronged approach: Investigation, Accountability, and Reform.
• Investigation
• Special audit of all MGNREGA records.
• Social audit involving Gram Sabha and civil society.
• Third-party technical verification.
• Geo-tagging and digital monitoring of assets.
• Accountability
• Departmental proceedings against delinquent officials.
• Recovery of misappropriated funds.
• Criminal action where fraud is established.
• Reporting findings to higher authorities.
• Systemic Reforms
• Strengthen e-governance and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
• Ensure mandatory social audits.
• Capacity building of Panchayat officials.
• Public disclosure of works and expenditure.
• Establish grievance redressal mechanisms.
• Regular field inspections and surprise checks.

Conclusion: As District Administrator, my objective would be not only to punish wrongdoing but also to restore the credibility of MGNREGA as a rights-based social welfare programme. By combining strict accountability with transparency, social audits, technological safeguards, and citizen participation, I would ensure that public funds reach the intended beneficiaries and that the programme fulfills its constitutional objective of providing livelihood security and rural development. Such an approach upholds the principles of good governance, probity, and social justice.