Visakhapatnam: Expressing concern over the misuse and diversion of material component expenditure of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) during the YSRCP’s tenure, 20-Point programme chairman Lanka Dinakar pointed out that the situation in the state appears to be the same in most of the 15 districts he had toured so far.

Addressing a media conference here on Saturday, Dinakar said that a series of review meetings were held in various districts to take stock of the extent of misuse in the implementation of the MGNREGS.

“The system went haywire during 2019-2024 and the state is slowly recovering from its impact now. The YSRCP failed to utilise allocated funds under the scheme. A detailed probe will be taken up and soon facts will be brought to the fore,” he informed.

Dinakar alleged that there was a complete failure to utilise the MGNREGS funds and misuse of funds in the YSRCP regime. After reviewing all the districts, the 20-point programme chairman informed that a detailed inquiry would be launched. “We will complete districts-wise reviews in the state on the implementation of the Central sponsored schemes implemented during the previous government by April 30,” Dinakar said. According to information provided by the district officials of Srikakulam and Vizianagaram, the funds of the material component entitlement worth Rs 2,000 crore were not utilised between 2019 and 2024, Dinakar pointed out.

Briefing about the details of Srikakulam and Vizianagaram district, he said in the two districts alone, Rs.1,742 crore of material component was unutilised, he added.

He made it clear that the funds would not be transferred to the next year if the budget in the district was not utilised in the proposed material component entitlement in the district. Dinakar alleged that some of the MGNREGS funds were utilised violating norms and such violations will be exposed.