Bihar government sets up call centre to help NREGS implementation
19 Oct 2009
The Bihar government has set up a call centre to counter the corruption menace in the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS).
The project dubbed e-Shakti is aimed at eliminating the involvement of middlemen to help beneficiaries get work and draw wages. Village-based unskilled workers in the state can dial a toll-free number and seek information about various schemes.
This is the first time such a project has been launched in the country.
The project is a follow-up on Jankari, a call centre for seeking information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, launched in 2007.
Chief minister Nitish Kumar, while inaugurating the call centre making the first calllast week said the use of technology was the only way to check corruption in the preparation of muster roll and payment under the NREGS.
He added that a biometrics smart card with relevant details of beneficiaries would be provided to labourers to check corrupt practices.