Provisions under NREGA

• Adult members of a rural household, willing to do unskilled manual work, are required to make registration in writing or orally to the local Gram Panchayat
• The Gram Panchayat after due verification will issue a Job Card. The Job Card will bear the photograph of all adult members of the household willing to work under NREGA and is free of cost.
• The Job Card should be issued within 15 days of application.
• A Job Card holder may submit a written application for employment to the Gram Panchayat, stating the time and duration for which work is sought. The minimum days of employment have to be at least fourteen.
• The Gram Panchayat will issue a dated receipt of the written application for employment, against which the guarantee of providing employment within 15 days operates
• Employment will be given within 15 days of application for work, if it is not then daily unemployment allowance as per the Act, has to be paid liability of payment of unemployment allowance is of the States.
• Work should ordinarily be provided within 5 km radius of the village. In case work is provided beyond 5 km, extra wages of 10% are payable to meet additional transportation and living expenses
• Wages are to be paid according to the Minimum Wages Act 1948 for agricultural labourers in the State, unless the Centre notices a wage rate which will not be less than 60 (US$1.10) per day. Equal wages will be provided to both men and women.

Note: The original version of the Act was passed with Rs155/ day as the minimum wage that needs to be paid under NREGA. However, a lot of states in India already have wage regulations with minimum wages set at more than 100 (US$1.80) per day. NREGA's minimum wage has since been changed to 130 (US$2.40) per day.

• Wages are to be paid according to piece rate or daily rate. Disbursement of wages has to be done on weekly basis and not beyond a fortnight in any case.
• At least one-third beneficiaries shall be women who have registered and requested work under the scheme.
• Work site facilities such as crèche, drinking water, shade have to be provided
• The shelf of project for a village will be recommended by the gram sabha and approved by the zilla panchayat.
• At least 50% of works will be allotted to Gram Panchayats for execution
• Permissible works predominantly include water and soil conservation, afforestation and land development works
• A 60:40 wage and material ratio has to be maintained. No contractors and machinery is allowed
• The Central Govt. bears the 100 percent wage cost of unskilled manual labour and 75 percent of the material cost including the wages of skilled and semi skilled workers
• Social Audit has to be done by the Gram Sabha
• Grievance redressal mechanisms have to be put in place for ensuring a responsive implementation process