No.

1926/EGS C/14/REGS

Mahatma Gandhi NREGA State Mission

First Floor, Punarjani,
Panavila, Thiruvananthapuram
Dated 31.3.2016

CIRCULAR
`

Sub: - Mahatma Gandhi NREGA 2016-17 Implementation Strategy Reg

Ref: - Government of India letter No L-15060/3/2016-RE-VII dated 29.3.2016
Government of India, as per letter No L-15060/3/2016-RE-VII dated 29.3.2016

issued the minutes of the meeting of the empowered committee on State Rural
Development Plan (SRDP) including Labour Budget of the State for the Financial Year
2016 17. As per Para 3 of the minutes, it is informed that the Empowered Committee
agreed to the Labour Budget of 603.11 Lakh Person days (PDs) for Financial year 2016
17 for the State of Kerala. During the year 2016 17, certain objective goals are set to
provide meticulous planning in the utilization of the Person days as follows: 1. The Person days are allocated to the districts considering the backwardness of
blocks included in the IPPE II exercises as below: a. Labour Budget approved by the Empowered Committee for 2016 17 Financial
year is to generate 603.11 Lakh Person days
b. There are 152 blocks in the State and out of these, 22 are IPPE Blocks. This
constitute 14.47% of blocks; say 15%
c. Hence it is decided to set aside 15% of the total person days agreed by
Government of India exclusively to the IPPE II blocks over and above the
normal allocation that these blocks get from the district allocation. Fifteen
percent of total Person days agreed equals 90, 46,622 person days. Hence, each
IPPE II block will get 4, 11,211 person days in excess of their normal share.
d. After earmarking 15 percent of the agreed LB (90, 46,622 Person days) to
IPPE blocks, the balance available is 5, 12, 64,358 Person days).
1

This is distributed to the districts according to the performance of the districts

in the last five years including the current year. The percentage share of each
district in the total person days generated in the State for 5 years (2011 12 to
2015 16) was taken

(Pl see Annexure I). Thereafter the average percentage

was taken. This average percentage is applied to allocate the 5, 12, 64,358
Person days. Thereafter, the allocation of 411211 person days for each IPPE II
blocks is made as follows: -

Sl
No
1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14

District
2
Palakkad
Wayanad
Idukki
Kasargod
Alappuzha
Ernakulam
Kannur
Kollam
Kottayam
Kozhikode
Malappuram
Pathanamthitta
Thiruvananthapuram
Thrissur
Total

Average
percentage
of
performance
of districts in
the last 5
years
3
9.27
4.3
8.11
3.79
10.9
6.54
4.14
7.99
4.15
7.38
6.78
4.08
15.59
6.98

District
wise
allocation
4
4752205
2204367
4157539
1942919
5587822
3352688
2122344
4096022
2127471
3783309
3475723
2091585
7992112
3578252
51264358

No of
IPPE II
Blocks
5
9
4
3
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
1
22

Person days
additionally
allocated to
IPPE Blocks
@ 411211
per block
6
3700899
1644844
1233633
822422
0
0
0
0
0
0
1233633
0
0
411211
9046642

Total
allocation
(4+6)
7
8453104
3849211
5391172
2765341
5587822
3352688
2122344
4096022
2127471
3783309
4709356
2091585
7992112
3989463
60311000

The districts while allocating the person days to the respective blocks should adopt the
following principles in dividing the allotted Person days: a) Allocate the person days mentioned in column 4 above to the blocks on the basis
of their average performance in the last 5 years.
2

b) Thereafter, each IPPE block may be given an additional allocation of 411211

person days
2. In this regard, the works proposed in each Grama Panchayat for the next month
shall be collected from the Grama Panchayats block wise in the last week of the
current month. The list of the works so collected may be filled in the performa
(Appendix I) and sent it to the State Mission at least 7 days before the end of the
current month. The list for the month of April may be sent to the State Mission not
later than 11.4.2016 and for the month of May by 23.4.2016 and so on.
3. The BDO/BPO should verify each and every estimate presented by the Grama
Panchayat through Block level Accredited Engineers and ensure that the work is in
accordance with Schedule I and are asset generating. Musters shall be issued only
for such works which satisfy the conditions laid down in amended Schedule I and
Master Circular 2016 17. The BDO/BPO should not issue MRs for works which
are not certified by the Grama Panchayat concerned that the work is productive
asset generating. Further, works which are non-tangible, immeasurable, having
hundred percent material component and repetitive such as, removing grass,
pebbles & agricultural operations shall not be taken up. It may be noted that any
violation of the above stipulations by the BPO/BDO will attract the provisions of
Sec 25 of the Act and will be viewed seriously.
4. In the presentation of State Rural Development Plan for 2016 17, the commitment
of the State in the following focal areas was discussed and the plan of the State is
now entered in the MIS as follows: Sl.
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Targets for the Focus Areas

Construction of Vermi/NADEP Tanks/Bio/Compost Pits
Construction of AWC Buildings
IHHL
Farm Ponds
Dug Wells
Well Recharge
Road Side Plantation KM

Units
(No)
82099
720
6431
5000
9212
22213
2263

Average Unit Cost (in

Rs.)
10,000
500,000
12000
250000
45000
6000
Per KM Rs 4000

District wise figures are explained in Annexure II. On the basis of the above plan,
each district will share their strategy for achieving the above targets to the State
Mission on or before 16.4.2016. The strategy to be adopted is to plan the works on
the basis of the seasonal nature of each month. Drought proofing, well recharge,
construction of ponds etc to be taken up before monsoon and concrete works,
Anganwadi building, etc during the rainy season.
5. The districts needs to scale up the works related to NRM during the FY 2016-17.
There should be lot of focus on water conservation and water harvesting. Further,
convergence of Mahatma Gandhi NREGA with PMKSY shall be taken up with
top priority and intervention plans should be developed by the SLNA and
Mahatma Gandhi NREGA State Mission.
6. As of now, housing is the major activity where convergence can be traced. Each
District should develop a model convergent project that helps in generating assets
and can be showcased. The districts in association with line departments can
develop themes in project mode. PMKSY, SBM (Rural), Jalanidhi (CCDU),
Coffee Board, Kerala State Bamboo Mission etc are some agencies and
Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Scheduled Castes Development, Scheduled
Tribes Development, Dairy, Fisheries, Forests and Wild Life, General Education
etc are some of the Line Departments

through which Convergence can be

realized.The present partnership underway in Palakkad by Mahatma Gandhi

NREGA and KSLUB in watershed intervention is a replicable model that can be
taken by other districts for river rejuvenation and water conservation. The District
Convergence Plan for FY 2016-17, duly approved by Collector/DPC, will be
submitted to the State Mission latest by 10.05.2016.
7. Districts should ensure that the expenditure on agriculture related works are not
below the statutory limit of 60%. Efforts should be stepped up to ensure that more
works in this category are taken up in FY 2016-17
4

8. Funds can be used to rehabilitate assets created from schemes other than
MGNREGA, such as one time rehabilitation/ renovation of canals/ drains/ Water
harvesting structures, etc. In such cases, the full details of previous work done
along with date, copy of estimate and measurement book should be placed as part
of the work record before administrative approval is granted.
9. Gram Panchayat level shelf of projects should be at least two times the
anticipated demand for employment
10. The Master Circular envisages usage of machinery in limited areas. The estimate
of Mahatma Gandhi NREGA work should contain machine rate, as per the
prevailing Schedule of Rates (SOR) of the line departments in the area. Such
works must be specifically taken up for Social Audits. Details of use of should be
mandatorily displayed on the worksite in local language In case machines are
required for repeated use in the operations, then they may be procured under
Mahatma Gandhi NREGA and the costs will be booked under material
component. However, efforts must be made to procure such machines from
sources other than Mahatma Gandhi NREGA as convergence support from the
participating programme
11. Building material production shall be undertaken to works under Mahatma Gandhi
NREGA and is not to be sold in the open market.
12. Construction of Kitchen Shed and Dining hall in schools and anganwadies may
also be constructed since it is an allowable activity as per Master Circular 2016 17
13. An independent mate may be allotted only for a batch of 50 workers. Further, only
one mate should be deployed for a continuous period of 14 days to the maximum
and having a permanent mate shall not be allowed

14. Para 29 of Mahatma Gandhi NREG Act Schedule II envisage that in case the
payment of wages is not made within 15 days from the date of closure of muster
rolls, the wage seeker shall be entitled to receive payment of compensation for the
delay, at the rate of 0.05% of the unpaid wages per day of delay beyond the
sixteenth day of closure of muster roll. The State already issued a Circular that
stipulate specific time for completion of each process as follows: -

Works shall start only on 2 specific days in a week

Sl
No

2
3

Activity
Henceforth, only one muster for a period of 7 days (Including one
holiday) will be issued. The muster will be distributed at the work site
and collected by the Engineer/Overseers
The Overseer/Engineer collecting the Muster will also measure the
work done in the week and record it in the reverse of the muster.
Thereafter, the Muster, bills and vouchers will be brought to the GP
and record the measurements in the Valuation Certificate/MB (In case
of last week of the work)
The measured Valuation Certificate/ M Book shall be sent to the next
higher officer for check measurement
The check measured Valuation Certificate/ M Book shall be handed
over to the Data Entry Operator for data entry of muster entries in the
MIS

Days
needed to
complete
the
process
7 Days
(Closure
of muster
roll)

Date on
which the
process to
be
completed

8th day

Engineer/
Overseers

2 days

10th day

Engineer/
Overseers

2 days

12th Day

A Ex E/AE

2 days

14th Day

3 Days

17th Day

1 Day

18th Day

The work file goes for approval of the Assistant Secretary/ Gram
Panchayat Secretary
The Data Entry Operator generates Wage List and transfers it to the
Secretary Log in

Secretary verifies the Wage list, create FTO and sends it to president
Log in (In case, the Secretary rejects the Wage list, the DEO shall
rectify it and send it back to Secretary the same day)

1 Day

19th Day

President signs the FTO

1 Day

20th Day

Responsibl
e Official/
Agency

Data Entry
Operators
GP
Secretary/
Assistant
Secretary
Data Entry
Operators
GP
Secretary/
Data Entry
Operators
GP
President

In the light of the above circular, it is decided to implement the time line mentioned
above strictly with the following directives
a. Works will be started on every Tuesday and Thursday of a week
6

b. In the FY 2016 17, the Engineer/Overseer (Technical staff) will distribute the
Musters at the worksite and the practice of distributing musters to the
mates should not be resorted to from 1.4.2016 onward. The technical staff
will conduct the Project initiation meetings before the work is started.
c. In the Project Initiation meeting, the workers should be explained the
provisions of the Act, the system of payment of wages, SoR, information on
worksite facilities and their entitlements in the event of their injury by
accidents or death or injury or death of any child accompanying the worker.
The standard output which is expected from workers to be entitled for
payment of wage rate/ day should be demonstrated. The Citizen Information
Board (CIB) with Mahatma Gandhi NREGA logo must be set up containing
essential information, details of work, estimates, rate at which each of these
have been estimated, work status, quantities of materials that are to be used,
basic dimensions of the work, person-days that will be generated, rate at
which workers will be paid and amount of work to be done for this to be paid,
expected benefit from the work etc. The cost towards CIB will be met from
the Administrative Cost.
d. In the next week, the musters will be collected and the next muster will be
distributed to the mate on every Tuesday and Thursday by the technical staff.
e. The Overseer/Engineer collecting the Muster will also measure the work done
in the week and record it in the reverse of the muster.
15. Gram Rozgar Diwas should be organised as a means of demand registration and
grievance redressal. Please follow the directives of the Master Circular 2016 17
16. All JPCs should prepare their Capacity Building Plan and IEC Plan not later than
15th of April 2016. The major events for Capacity building may be
a)
b)
c)
d)

BTRT Training on SAMARTYA Technical Manual

Training on SECURE
Capacity building of stakeholders to arrest Delay in payment of wages
State wide training for V & MC
7

e) State wide training on developing effective Monitoring systems

f) Convergence of Mahatma Gandhi NREGA with the activities of Line
Departments and Commodity boards
g) Technical training on Production of building materials and low cost
technology
h) Workshop on effective IEC and developing Janatha Information System
i) State wide training for Mates
17. All measurements of work done shall be recorded in the measurement book (MB)
duly authorized and issued by the competent authority. Measurements recorded in
MB need to be entered in the NREGASoft to determine valuation of work done.
18. The e-muster rolls should be authorized by the Programme Officer and issued to
Gram Panchayats, within three days from the date when the GP declare their intent
to start the works. As per the current provision in the MIS, Gram Panchayat may
print the PO certified e-MR using the respective log-in passwords in the
NREGASoft. As per the current provision in the MIS, Gram Panchayat may print
the PO certified e-MR using the respective log-in passwords in the NREGASoft.
19. Monitoring of Mahatma Gandhi NREGA works and processes are important. Para
14.6 of the Operational Guidelines envisage that the Engineer/Overseer at GP
level, technical staff at the block and district officials will be the internal quality
supervision team. However, this is not scrupulously followed at the field level and
further there is no mechanism to ensure that such field inspections are undergoing.
In the year 2016 17, the field level inspections should be renewed with vigor. Field
inspections include visit to GP/Block offices and verification of the records such
as Tender/Contract Register, Material Procurement Register, e-muster roll issue
register, muster roll receipt register for GPs, Job Card Register, Employment
Register, Works register, Assets Register and Complaint Register. The VEOs are
expected to submit their inspection Report to BPOs. The BPOs should furnish
their reports to JPCs and JPCs/State Officials to submit their reports to CRD every
month.
20. The Vigilance and Monitoring Committees (V & MC) constituted as per GO (Rt)
8

No 2107/2006 may be strengthened. Each GP ward should have the V & MC

consisting of 5 to 7 members who are not actively involved in Mahatma Gandhi
NREGA. These Committees shall be popularized and should act as a forum to
oversee that the works are asset generating, no ghost workers are there in the work
site, guaranteed entitlements are provided, musters are properly managed as per
the provisions in Para 15 of the Schedule I of Mahatma Gandhi NREG Act and
the Janatha information system is followed
21. The VEOs should visit each work under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA and 100
percent Musters to be verified.
22. The entire works completed in the year 2014 15 should be completed in case all
payments are made. In the case of works remaining incomplete due to non
availability of material and administrative costs, JPCs should intiate steps to
complete such works in the MIS within 15 days from the date on which such funds
are placed. Work completion in the MIS is an important activity and the following
directives may be strictly followed: o

Ensure that at least 75% of the works started whose estimated completion date
is over is completed in the MIS
o Cap the number of works that can be opened up in any GP at a given time
while there are incomplete works in the same GP. The cap may be fixed as 10
numbers of works.
23. The LIFE Project shall identify the youth in families depending on Mahatma
Gandhi NREGA for their livelihood, skill them/ improve their livelihood asset
base in convergence with NRLM, and DDU-GKY. Survey shall be the
responsibility of Mahatma Gandhi NREGA Commissioners and they officially
should share the result of the Survey with the State Rural Livelihood Mission
(SRLM) in form of the three lists. For every placement completed by the PIA,
Mahatma Gandhi NREGA Commissioner shall release the Project training cost to
SRLM/SNSM out of its allocated budget.

24. The districts should complete the training of officials as part of Block Technical
Resource Team on SAMARTHYA Technical Training Manual (Mahatma Gandhi
NREGA) latest by 31st May 2016. The DTRT training is completed. The BTRT
training will be for a period of 4 days and the training will be conducted during the
month of April and May 2016. Sufficient copies of the Malayalam translation of
SAMARTHYA will be printed and the Power Point Presentations made in the
DTRT will be revisited and will be modified by the State Mission with the
involvement of the State Technical Resource Team. BTRT planning meetings will
be organized at the District level with the involvement of JPC, BPOs, DTRT
members of the district and one person representing the STRT/Mahatma Gandhi
NREGA State Mission. There should be a proper process documentation of the
BTRT by each district
25. The first BFT batch completed their 90 days training. The ensuing batches will be
trained during the FY 2016 17. Kasaragod, Malappuram, Palakkad, Idukki and
Thrissur districts should select the trainees. The trainees may belong to an active
Job card holding household and they should attend an exam and get at least 40
marks to get qualified. The no of eligible BFTs in a district having IPPE Blocks
are computed by dividing the no of active Job card holders in the IPPE blocks
divided by 2500. Three times the number of eligible candidates may be shortlisted
to attend the test. The select list may be submitted to the State Mission. The first
batch of BFTs completed training will go back to Wayanad and they will be
deployed as BFTs. Their salary will be booked under material component with
wage rate @ one skilled labour. The technical staff of Wayanad will be given a
one day orientation.
26. The Annual Master Circular already translated will be got printed and sufficient
copies will be distributed to the districts. The JPCs may ensure the dissemination
of the Circular to all Stakeholders in the field. In addition, the State Mission has
10

developed a PPT of the Master Circular. On the basis of the translation and PPT,
one day trainings on the Circular may be organized in all districts in the month of
April
27. The Ministry of Rural Development is launching an online photo gallery of
sustainable assets. An online module for uploading photos will be developed by
NIC and shared with the Districts shortly. All JPCs are requested to start
collecting photographs of sustainable assets with details like work code, type of
work, category of work, year of construction, GP, Block, District etc.

Each

district may collect at least 75 photographs of different sustainable assets and

upload it when informed.
28. The Ministry is also launching an online compendium of Success Stories /Good
Practices. Each District has to identify 5 success stories or good practices, and
upload in an online module which will be made available in the NREGA soft
soon.
(Sd/-)
Commissioner for Rural Development &
Mission Director, Mahatma Gandhi NREGA State
`
Mission
Copy to
All District Programme Coordinators
All Joint Programme Coordinators
All Block Programme Officers
All Grama Panchayat Secretaries
CA To CRD
Office Copy/Stock file

11

Annexure I
Mahatma Gandhi NREGA 2016 17

List of works taken up for implementation in the month..

Name of District

Sl
No

Name of
GP

Name of
Block

Expected
numbers of
Person Days
generated

Name of Work

Type of
Asset
expected to
generate

In which
category of the
Sch I the work
included

Certified that the Asset of prescribed quality and quantity are generated as per the above list

Joint Programme Coordinator

12

Annexure II
Target for Works FY:2016-2017
NADEP Compost
IHHL
AWC
Farm Pond
Vermi Compost
Tank
Roadside Plantation
Unit
Unit
Unit
Unit
Unit
Unit
Cost of
Cost of
Cost of
Cost of
Cost of
Cost
each
each
each
each
each
per
S
No. of work(Rs. No. of work(Rs. No. of work(Rs. No. of work(Rs. No. of work(Rs. No. of K.M(in Length(in
No.
District
Works in Lakh) Works in Lakh) Works in Lakh) Works in Lakh) Works in Lakh) Works
Rs.)
K.M)
1
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
1 Alappuzha
765
0.12
24
5
144
2.5
35
0.1
140
0.1
0
4000
0
2 Ernakulam
482
0.12
11
5
138
2.5
0
0.1
6143
0.1
53
4000
71
3 Idukki
0
0.12
36
5
0
2.5
0
0.1
1213
0.1
604
4000
805
4 Kannur
30
0.12
8
5
310
2.5
0
0.1
9304
0.1
368
4000
491
5 Kasargod
34
0.12
2
5
38
2.5
0
0.1
686
0.1
0
4000
0
6 Kollam
0
0.12
27
5
47
2.5
0
0.1
8978
0.1
0
4000
0
7 Kottayam
0
0.12
50
5
361
2.5
0
0.1 30552
0.1
55
4000
73
8 Kozhikode
456
0.12
63
5
341
2.5
0
0.1
441
0.1
0
4000
0
9 Malappuram
594
0.12
114
5
844
2.5
0
0.1
9377
0.1
0
4000
0
10 Palakkad
0
0.12
246
5
1158
2.5
1235
0.1
4938
0.1
0
4000
0
11 Pathanamthitta
715
0.12
20
5
242
2.5
0
0.1
2651
0.1
0
4000
0
12 Thiruvananthapuram
499
0.12
42
5
158
2.5
0
0.1
211
0.1
0
4000
0
13 Thrissur
856
0.12
72
5
769
2.5
0
0.1
5195
0.1
0
4000
0
14 Wayanad
2000
0.12
5
5
450
2.5
200
0.1
800
0.1
617
4000
823
6431
720
5000
1470
80629
1697
2263
Sub-Total

13