Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 16: Alleging large scale irregularities in the implementation of MG-NREGA scheme in the State, NPP chairman and former Minister Harsh Dev Singh today urged the petitioned Union Rural Development Minister seeking a high level probe into all spendings under the scheme by the J&K RDD during the last 2-3 years.
He regretted that in the absence of ombudsman or any other monitoring authority, the huge funding under MG-NREGA scheme has been looted and plundered with none to take cognizance of the frauds in RDD making headlines in the media every other day. He recalled that the Union Govt had issued categoric instructions to all State Govts in 2009 for immediate creation of the institution of ombudsman at district level in their respective States so as to check pilferage of rural development and employment guarantee funds provided to the States under the scheme. He regretted that while the J&K State has availed thousands of crores under the said national flagship programme, it has failed to initiate any action whatsoever with regard to appointment of ombudsman in the State.
Harsh Dev while sharing his experiences after his tours of the various rural areas said that in the absence of ombudsman in various districts, the funds under the MG-NREGA scheme were being siphoned off by unscrupulous officials in connivance with certain vested interests. He said that the flagrant violation of GOI stipulated norms in identification and execution of works, use of MGNREGA funds in convergence with CDF, SDRF and Finance Commission awards to avoid tenders, large scale variations in labour-material ratio, extremely poor quality works, fictitious bills, inflated billing for materials used, withdrawal of payments for non-existent works, diversion of funds, non- provision of employment to job card holders etc were the general complaints of the public in the rural areas visited by him.
He said that huge funds had been shown to have been withdrawn under MGNREGA scheme for repairs of PMGSY roads in Ramnagar constituency as revealed under RTI which was not only violation of the CSS guidelines but a huge scandal calling for punitive action.
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