MPCC demands white paper on MGNREGS funds
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 04 2022:
The Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has demanded the State Government to produce a white paper detailing reason(s) for not releasing the MGNREGS funds sanctioned by the Central Government on June 23 this year for payment of wages to around 5.70 lakh job card holders of the State.
Speaking to media persons at Congress Bhavan here this afternoon, MPCC spokesman Rabi Khan said that the MGNREGS introduced by the Congress Government in 2005 under an Act (MGNREGA) so as to augment the income of poorer sections of the society have been all messed up in Manipur under the BJP-led Government.
He said that a total amount of Rs 756,49,62,000 was sanctioned by the Central Government on June 23 this year for payment of wages to around 5.70 lakh job card holders of the State.
On the third day of sanctioning the amount, the Central Government sent a written direction to the State Government to release the same amount but the State Government is not releasing the amount till date.
The economic blockade imposed by MGNREGS job card holders was invited by the State Government on account of its failure to release the sanctioned amount, the MPCC spokesman said.
He then urged the State Government to bring out a white paper with a detailed explanation for holding back the MGNREGS funds.
MGNREGS is implemented under an Act and funds sanctioned for it cannot be utilised for any other purpose.
If the MGNREGS funds are not released in time, the State Government should pay an interest of 12 per cent, Rabi Khan said.
He expressed strong suspicion that the MGNREGS funds were diverted for payment of salaries to Government employees.
Further, a huge amount of around Rs 700 crore which was sanctioned for payment of Old Age Pension is also being held back by the State Government, Rabi Khan said.
He then asked if the State Government has any apprehension of RBI imposing restrictions on financial transactions because of fiscal deficit in case the huge amounts for MGNREGS and Old Age Pension are not held back.
It is still good that a couple of candidates shared some posts in social media saying that they got selected in the recently declared IRB recruitment results without offering any bribe.
Pointing out that the total number of IRB personnel recruited recently was 1800, the MPCC spokesman maintained that it would have been much better if 1000 or at least 500 candidates can say that they were recruited without offering any bribe.