The Congress has unearthed huge scams in MNREGA works which were carried out in Rajnandgaon and Kawardha districts. The chairman of Congress monitoring committee Arvind Netam on Thursday informed that a central inspection team too confirmed about prevalence of scams in MNREGA works in the two districts. The team acted on the directives of the then Union Rural Development Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh who received complaint in this connection from former MP Devvrat Singh. The team toured Rajnandgaon and Kawardha from July 4-9, 2011 to pursue its task.
“On the basis of this team’s report, Secretary Union Rural Development Ministry BK Sinha on August 29, 2011 wrote a letter to the state Chief Secretary P Joy Oommen recommending disciplinary action against the guilty officials, but the state government is still slumbering,” said Netam while taking to the media persons at Congress Bhawan.
He feared that the government’s inaction can cost it dear as the Centre would not hesitate in stopping the fund flow to the two districts. “Corruption has infected MNREGA works in other districts too and soon the Congress will collect evidence from all such places by conducting intense tours,” said Netam.
He informed how irregularities in MNREGA works in Sarguja and Koria districts had decelerated development works in both the regions. “The government would have to open new jails before arresting large number of corrupts linked to MNREGA works,” he said.
The Centre’s letter to the state government says that according to norms gram panchayats are supposed to carry out MNREGA works worth fifty percent of the allocated fund but majority of the works were done by Water Resources, Forest and other government department and the expenditure exceeded over three quarters of the given amount.
Similarly, works were carried out in banned places listed under MNREGA, officials selected wrong spot for new pond where digging and then leveling works were done.
The team also found irregularities in labour payment. The working hours of the labourers were curtailed to three from seven. However, labour payment was shown for full working hours (seven hours).
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