-PTI
In a bid to check corruption in payment of MGNREGA wages, the government plans to introduce videography during the process, Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said here today.
"Videography will be used in the presence of officials while giving wages to the MGNREGA beneficiaries from now to ensure proper and timely payment," Ramesh said.
Recalling how corruption in the social audit of MGNREGA had claimed Niyamat Ansari, who exposed corruption by middlemen in Latehar in March this year, the minister said cash payment was introduced to make payment faster.
"In several remote areas there are neither post offices nor banks. Therefore, cash payment has been introduced in such places," Ramesh said when asked about the change in procedure of payments.
Cash used to be the mode of payment in initial years after NREGA came in force. Later, it was decided bank/post office passbooks would be given to beneficiaries to prevent middlemen scooping up commission from the labourers.