Right To Information Act and NREGA: Reflections on Rajasthan

Abstract

This article explores the role of Right to Information Act in effective Implementation of NREGA through checking corruption. For substantiating the core argument, the paper examines the success story of NREGA in Rajasthan.Section one of the article explains RTI, its significance in giving transparency and accountability in NREGA , the procedures to be followed in using RTI, need for mass participation and role of civil society. Section two discusses the pioneering role of Aruna Roy and MKSS in Rajasthan for making RTI and NREGA a reality. Compare to other states, NREGA experiment was successful in Rajasthan mainly because of the mass awareness campaigns, muster roll verification, periodic social audit, active role of PRIs etc. The paper also highlight the achievements of NREGA in Rajasthan like checking migration to urban areas, Natural Resource Management include water conservation and harvesting structure, drought proofing, micro irrigation works, provision of irrigation facilities to land owned by SC/ST, rural connectivity, renovation of water bodies, and pasture land developmentNREGA; India;Rajasthan;Right to Information