New Delhi: Union Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh on Wednesday said that there was no shortage of funds in National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA), nor will it be in future. Meanwhile he also took a jibe at Tamil Nadu and Odisha governments asking how these governments are running the system without financial discipline?
Speaking further Giriraj said, "March has been marked as the end of the financial year. After which according to the terms and conditions of MNREGA for six months, central government will distribute funds to the state, but if the state government is seeking demand after September 30 then the states have to submit an audit report and Utilization Certificate (UC). But these two states have not submitted their audit report nor the UC. It has been revealed in the social audit that there was an irregularity of Rs 250 crores. I am cautioning the states, if the states do not follow the financial discipline, then we will not be able to pay the MNREGA amount,"
"Centre has released the first part of the payment to the states like Tamil Nadu and Odisha in April. But the second part will only be released after the states submit their audit report of the previous financial year. These states have not submitted their report so far. Some states have also sought for funds under MNREGA without following the rules and regulations of the financial years," the union minister added.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin had written to Prime Minister demanding the release of remaining funds of MNREGA on time. In his letter to PM, Stalin explained that amount of Rs 3524.69 crore released by the Central Government to Tamil Nadu has been utilized by September 15. Since then the fund has not been released by the Centre, due to which the wages of the labourers amounting to Rs 1178.12 crore have not been paid."
Following which there were reports that 21 states are running out of MGNREGA funds in the current financial year 2021-22. While there are still 5 months left in the current financial year.
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