IT For National Importance

Keeping tabs on NREGA

NREGAsoft is a web-based software designed to capture all the activities under NREGA at the centre/state/district/block and panchayat level. It can be accessed at  http://www.nrega.nic.in. Using this portal each stakeholder can input information and access their own information through this portal. The software captures registration of workers, work demanded, number of days of employment for whole family. It also keeps an account of funds transferred/utilised and number of works undertaken under the scheme.

Process
NREGAsoft captures the information right from the registration of the worker and  provides linkages with the household survey known as BPL survey 2002. This survey was carried out to collect information about each person and family in the rural area and provide a unique ID to them. So, rather than starting from scratch, the software is built on household survey. The various modules of the software include; Beneficiary Management Module which captures registration, demand for work, work allocation and the muster roll on which a person worked, payment of wages is through bank/post office as it captures the bank/post office account number, bank/post office and name of the person who demanded a job, the module also calculates unemployment allowance, if any and also keep tracks of number of days of employment of a family; the Fund Management Module captures the funds transferred from Ministry of Rural Development/States to districts and onward to the programme officers/panchayats and expenditure incurred, by various implementing agencies on labour, material and contingency; the Works Management Module captures information about the various works under taken under the scheme at various levels, facilitates online approval of projects and keeps track of time taken for approval of project, each project is provided a unique ID and status of work is maintained in the system. The other modules include a Grievance redressal system, a Staffing Position Module, Cost Estimation Module and  a Knowledge network/ Solution exchange which provides a common platform to all stakeholders to exchange their views and post queries. The software also gives alerts to implementing agencies about the various irregularities, important activities and messages for funds to be received by the agencies.

Impact
The software computerises all the activity of NREGA right from the registration of the worker by the panchayat to the muster roll prepared and payment made to the worker. This has introduced a high degree of transparency into the process. A worker can check his employment details, unemployment allowance details, and can lodge a complaint and can trace the subsequent response. The provision of payment of wages through bank/PO ensures correct payment is made to a worker. The software also offers help to Gram panchayats, assists the officers, administrators, programme managers of NREGA.

All locations with internet connectivity can access the software immediately. Locations without connectivity can download the offline version and can upload the data on the central server at specified periodicity by using available options. Future development  includes analysis of data collected under NREGA for understanding the pattern of demand, impact analysis and decision support systems to calculate the future requirement of fund in a district.