Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Wednesday said that the government proposes to create a biometric data base of all workers covered under its flagship MGNREGA scheme. The aim is to reduce instances of discrimination in work allocation, delayed payments and bogus muster rolls.Dr. Singh made the announcement at a function held in New Delhi to mark five years of the launch of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). He expressed concern over problems in implementation of MGNREGA in Naxal-affected areas. The Prime Minister also announced that the government will establish a technical unit, comprising a panchayat development officer and a junior engineer, in each gram panchayat. He also took note of reports of harassment and intimidation of social auditors.The Prime Minister maintained that MGNREGA had generated 880 crore person days of work since its inception. He also noted that wages under MNREGA were now being disbursed through more than 10 crore bank and post office accounts.The Prime Minister said the challenge before the government is to improve the implementation of the Act on the ground. He pointed out that the role of Right to Information Act is important in this regard. The Prime Minister added that the government also plans to formulate micro-plans at the village level with people's participation to determine which works should be undertaken and where.Addresssing the function the National Advisory Council Chairperson Mrs.Sonia Gandhi expressed concern over shortcomings in implementation of MGNREGA scheme but put the onus on the states to deal with them. She noted despite appointment of district level officers, the present system of hearing and solving complaints of the people is not fully satisfactory.However, she sought to put the responsibility of dealing with these lacunas on the state governments. She also emphasised on the need for further strengthening social audit and suggested that the help of women Self-Help Groups and NGOs can be taken in this regard. Earlier officials and heads of panchayats from several states were honoured for their excellent work at the function.Talking to reporters, the Rural Development Minister Mr. Vilas Rao Deshmukh said that government will take up the issue highlighted by Sandeep Pandey with the UP government. AIR correspondent reports that Magasaysay Award winner Sandeep Pandey has decided to return National Rural Employment Guarantee Achievement Award in protest against non action against a complaint lodged in 2009 in which Dalit workers were beaten by the husband of a former Panchayat leader in Uttar Pradesh.