Free India’s track record in dealing with mass poverty has been spotty at best. By abandoning the NREGS rather than trying to make it more efficient and effective, we run the risk of throwing the baby out with the bath-water. When we lost the 1962 war, we did not shut down the defence ministry. We gave the ministry more funds and sent it out on a mission to pursue efficiency. That is the kind of response we need when faced with the weaknesses in execution in the NREGS.

The CAG’s draft report shows us that in state after state there are cases of false muster rolls, payments without signatures/thumb-prints, payments to unintended beneficiaries, siphoning of funds by powerful political functionaries, inflated payments to contractors, diversion of funds. Other reports indicate that NGOs are not exempt from corruption and some have emerged as the contractors of the new Raj! All these criticisms are valid and it is our obligation as citizens to confront them and deal with them. In this context, I view the CAG’s report as a success. How many schemes of other spendthrift ministries have been brought under public scrutiny so soon after launch? If despite these warning signals, if despite the best efforts of empowered groups using the Right to Information Act, if despite being given more time and better organisation, we make no progress, then and only then should we look to scrap the NREGS. Incidentally, the CAG says that many callous state governments have not even appointed an official to oversee the NREGS. Everyone is in a hurry appointing security staff for themselves and promoting their cronies to OSDs (officers on special duty, a hangover from the Raj, conveniently used by our incumbent socialists). But for an honest, efficient IAS officer to supervise NREGS in many states is not on the cards!

... contd.