MGNREGA works of 25 states on Centre’s radar


New Delhi: Works undertaken in 341 blocks throughout 25 states underneath the Mahatma Gandhi Nationwide Rural Employment Assure Act have come underneath the Centre’s scanner.

The Centre has deputed audit groups to scrutinise whether or not works in these blocks had been undertaken as per the rules. Officers mentioned excessive expenditure underneath MGNREGA within the 341 blocks raised pink flags.

Central audit groups are visiting 1,360 gram panchayats to look at whether or not the works undertaken had been as per MGNREGA tips laid down by the Centre, belongings created adopted set requirements and whether or not there was any connivance on the panchayat stage to siphon off central funds.

“There are nationwide stage displays. The blocks had been red-flagged as a result of these confirmed very excessive expenditure. This is the reason audit groups had been despatched to look at on the floor stage if the expenditure incurred has led to correct asset creation,” a senior rural improvement ministry official advised ET on situation of anonymity.
The ministry has fashioned groups drawing from different states to make sure higher and improved audit within the excessive expenditure blocks.

MGNREGA works have come underneath the scanner of the Centre because the Modi authorities has been attempting to rationalise the expenditure underneath the demand-driven scheme. Because the MGNREGA invoice has been going up through the years, particularly through the Covid-19 pandemic when individuals migrated again to the villages. To date, about ₹59,000 crore has been spent underneath the flagship rural jobs scheme this yr and the ministry has sought an extra ₹25,000 crore underneath revised estimates.

In 2021-22, the MGNREGA invoice was ₹98,000 crore. The Centre emphasised within the latest mid-term evaluation carried out by the ministry with states that states ought to permit the scheme to stay demand-driven and never set any targets for district-level officers to realize.

“State governments are administratively pushing it. That is rising the expenditure,” mentioned the official cited earlier. The federal government can also be frightened in regards to the high quality of belongings being created. The emphasis of the federal government is Amrit Sarovar scheme, which entails digging ponds. The ministry feels in sure areas gram panchayats are utilizing machines however exhibiting that guide labour had been employed to dig ponds. “These malpractices solely enhance unlawful connivance on the decrease stage. This must be checked,” mentioned the official.

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