MGNREGS falls short of target, expectations
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 05 2014 : Although MGNREGS, one of the many flagship programmes taken up by the Government of India, set a target of giving job for 100 days in a year, 81 days is the highest target achieved so far.

According to an official source, the numbers of MGNREGS working days for the respective years are 81 in 2009-10, 68 in 2010-11, 80 in 2011-12, 68 in 2012-13 and 27 in 2013-14 .

As per guidelines, if the scheme cannot give job for 100 days in a year, one can complaint to the concerned BDO or the DC.

After submitting the complaint, one is entitled to unemployment allowance for the days on which no work was done.

Strangely, not a single job card holder has ever filed a complaint against not giving 100 days' job in a year although it has been almost 10 years since the scheme was launched.

One main factor for not registering any complaint is the fraudulent practice of withdrawing money without doing any work.

Both the State Government and the Government of India are aware of the misuse of funds sanctioned under the scheme for wage and material components.

MGNREGS Logo

With the Government of India now realizing that the scheme is not very beneficial in practical terms even though it is quite impressive theoretically, funds for the scheme are now being released very late.

Funds approved for the scheme were released in small instalments during the past three years.

As against Rs 995.18 crore approved for the scheme in 2012-13, only Rs 594.83 crore was released.

The corresponding figures for 2013-14 are Rs 871.34 crore and 231 crore.

For 2014-15, just Rs 129.45 crores was released to the State Government as against the approved amount of Rs 605.35 crore.

Although fund sanctioned by the Centre to the State Government for MGNREGS is not very large, it is as large as 21,000 crore for some big States.

Out of Rs 129.45 crores released this financial year, the second instalment amount of Rs 30 crore is in the possession of Finance Depart- ment.

The first instalment amount of Rs 92.45 crore was distributed to different districts.

Taking serious of the huge gap between the approved amount and the amount released, Chief Minister O Ibobi wrote to the then Union Minister of Rural Development Jairam Ramesh in January last seeking release of adequate fund.

This was followed by Chief Secretary PC Lawm-kunga's letter to the Secre- tary, Department of Rural Development, Ministry of Rural Development LC Goyal.

But both the letters evoked no positive response, added the official.