Imphal, July 19 2009: Procedural errors and anomalies committed at the initial stage of implementing NREGS 2008-09 in Imphal East-I CD Block and Imphal East-II CD Block, have been denying wages to job card holders belonging to the two Blocks even today.

During the pervious year (2007-08), a total of around Rs 23 crores, Rs 14 crores for Imphal East-I CD Block and Rs 9 crores for Imphal East-II CD Block, sanctioned under NREGS could not be disbursed to the workers before the stipulated period lapsed.

On being investigated by The Sangai Express, several lapses and faults were observed on the part of the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA).

Before NREGS was launched in Imphal East district in April, 2008, Sampurna Gramin Rozgar Yojana (SGRY) was implemented in the district.

As per the guidelines of the Government of India, the unutilised amount sanctioned under SGRY should be merged with the sanctioned amount of NREGS, if the scheme was launched in the same district.

Accordingly, around Rs 15 lakhs, which remained unutilised in Imphal East district was merged with the NREGS amount.

Being incorporated into the NREGS fund, the remaining SGRY amount should be deposited in the account of the Panchayat.

However for Moirang-kampu Gram Panchayat, under Imphal East-I CD Block and Kyamgei Gram Panchayat, under Imphal East-II CD Block, the remaining SGRY amounts were utilised in a hurry and utilisation certificates submitted to claim fund for the next phase.

The SGRY amounts were never put in the accounts of the respective Panchayats.

Even as first phase of NREGS works were initiated in the two Panchayats, the exact number of job-card holders could not be ascertained.

Even after the work started, distribution of job-cards could not be finished.

But according to the guidelines, NREGS works should be initiated only after the number of job-cards and work lists submitted by Panchayats were sanctioned by the DRDA.

Violation of these guidelines at the very initial stage was followed by more anomalies and faulty practices.

After utilisation certificate of the SGRY amount merged to NREGS was submitted, the Government of India sanctioned another Rs nine crores for Imphal East district.

This time, Pradhans exerted pressure on the DRDA to deposit the amount in the accounts of Gram Panchayats in accordance to work lists and number of job-card holders submitted by each one of them.

But the DRDA was not willing to accede to the Pradhans.

This resulted in an impasse between the two sides.

Consequent upon the impasse, the amount of Rs nine crore sanctioned in the second phase could not be utilised properly.

Necessary utilisation certificate was also not submitted.

After this, the Government of India has stopped further sanction of any more NREGS fund for Imphal East district during 2008-09 .

For 2009-10, Rs 14 crores have been sanctioned under NREGS for Imphal East district.

Again in contravention of the guidelines, distribution of due wages for 2008-09 have been started from the amount sanctioned for the current year (2009-10) .

Such faulty practice has become another source of problems for 2009-10 .

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