Taking a step ahead in bringing transparency in the functioning of Rural Development Department and disbursing the wages to the beneficiaries under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the Minister for Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, Law and Justice, Abdul Haq launched the Electronic Fund Management System (e-FMS), here today.On the occasion, the Minister transferred online Rs 1.5 crore as payment to 10,000 beneficiaries under MGNREGA. Commissioner Secretary RDD Nirmal Sharma, Director RDD Jammu R K Bhat, Director Rural Sanitation Jammu Nisar, Additional Secretary to Government RDD Rakesh K Badyal senior officers of the department were present on the occasion.The Minister was apprised that the new system of e-FMS functions through digital signature and once the concerned officer will sign it electronically, it will go to the master account of the nodal bank from where the wages will be credited directly to the account of the worker immediately.Terming the launch of e-FMS as a revolutionary step, the Minister said that with this move, the beneficiaries now need not to move to the offices for payment and department will directly transfer wages to their already linked bank accounts. “This step will not only ease out the whole process of disbursing payment to the beneficiaries but also remove the hurdles and makes it paperless besides eliminating delays in wage payment”, said the Minister adding that today we can say that the objective behind implementing MGNERGA is fulfilled as the beneficiaries will get their payment within 15 days benefitting about20 lakh MGNREGA workers of the state.
“Thousands of families in our state are dependent on MGNREGA to meet their daily needs and often delay in payments badly affects them, and now with e-FMS it would be ensured that they get their wage payments in real time”, said Haq Khan.He added that the measure will usher in much needed transparency and funds will reach to the real beneficiaries on ground. “It is a digital era, everything should be available to the public in just one click and the RDD takes immense pleasure to bring J&K on the path of digital India”, said the Minister.Speaking to the officers, the Minister said that it is our responsibility that funds provided by the centre and state government under various welfare and other schemes directly go to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries. He exhorted upon them to work for the betterment of the people associated with the department under various schemes and programmes.Expressing satisfaction over the performance of the department in creating durable assets and generation of MGNREGA mandays, the Minister said that we have successfully implemented MGNREGA in the state but now focus needs to laid on rural sanitation which requires due attention and concerted efforts.The Minister said that to achieve the targets under rural Swachh Bharat mission (SBM) and Rural Sanitation, everyone in the department needs to contribute in a proactive manner so that every scheme reaches the people. He said that the government is very much concerned for this and the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti are personally monitoring this campaign. He hoped that soon, the whole state of J&K will become Open Defection Free (ODF) with the continuing efforts of the department making our state one of the model state in this regard. On the occasion, large numbers of MGNREGA beneficiaries present there were briefed about e-FMS, the new system of disbursing payments directly to their bank accounts. The beneficiaries also thanked the Minister and the department for introducing e-FMS for easy disbursement of wages to them.