Delhi stalls MGNREGS funding
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 13 2013 : After the Government of India has stalled further release of fund for MGNREGS due to the State Government's failure to produce its share, the Government of Manipur has been reportedly trying to secure funds from the Centre by showing sanction order for its matching share.

Unlike Manipur, rich States like Gujarat have been enjoying full benefits of the scheme as they have no difficulties in producing their matching share.

The scheme is being implemented with 90 per cent funding from the Government and 10 per cent by respective State Governments.

Significantly there have been lots of scandals and controversies such as the State's failure to release its share, irregularities in payment of wages to job card holders, misuse of the amount meant for material components, misuse of fund by line departments etc in Manipur.

A reliable source informed that the State Government never released its share in time since the scheme was introduced in Manipur.

Because of the State Government's failure to release its share in time, it has run into a huge liability of around Rs 80 crores implying that the scheme was implemented in the State with only the money provided by the Government of India.

Meanwhile, the Government of India has already intimated the State Government that it would not release any more fund for MGNREGS if the State does not release its share.

On receiving this intimation, State Government officials have rushed to New Delhi and are now lobbying for uninterrupted release of fund on the strength of the sanction order for releasing the State's share.

Even as the State Government has issued sanction order for Rs 20 crores, the same amount has not been transferred to the account of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department.

In other words, no money has been released even though the sanction order has been issued.

During the past five years, the Government of Manipur released its share of MGNREGS fund thrice in small amounts.

As such, the State Government was in constant backlog since the scheme was introduced in the State as far as release of its share was concerned, added the source.

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