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Fund crunch hobbling MGNREGS works
The Centre’s delay in releasing of funds under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) to the State has become a nagging issue. It has forcing the State government to release funds from its own sources.
Hyderabad: The Centre’s delay in releasing of funds under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) to the State has become a nagging issue. It has forcing the State government to release funds from its own sources.
According to officials in the Department of Panchayat Raj and Rural Development, during the current financial year the State had created employment to over 3.4 lakh wage workers and thus exceeded the target fixed by the Centre under the scheme. The State, however, has so far got only Rs 50 crore out of about Rs 220 crore expenditure incurred under the scheme.
Speaking to The Hans India, a senior official said, “the release of funds happened after Minister for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Jupalli Krishna Rao made a representation to the Centre. Delay in the release of funds has been standing in the way of implementing the scheme. The officials said the State had sought Rs 1,000 crore for MGNREGS for the current financial year.” Adding, since the current season is a lean period, there is not much pressure on the department for creation of wage employment under the scheme.
There are about 3.4 lakh active job cardholder under the MGNREGS in the State. The department has to continually make efforts to create works against the demand from the job cardholders.
For example, during the current financial year, out of a total of about Rs 250 crore spent on MGNREGS, nearly Rs 135 crore had to be incurred on the material component. “Delay in the release of funds to meet the expenditure on the material component of the works created has been the main hurdle faced by the State. Also, funds for payment of wages too has been delayed by the Centre,” the sources added.
Telangana is one among the few states in the forefront of implementing the scheme creating jobs exceeding the targets given to the State. Mostly, the works implemented under the scheme include carrying out road repairs, individual latrines, Gram Panchayat and Anganwadi buildings and the like.
Of late, steps have been taken to create agriculture ponds and developing sustainable water infrastructure like repairing water channels and tanks. This is helping in creating livelihoods for small scale farmers opting wage employment under MGNREGS in the rain fed areas, the sources added.
