Are other states also being ‘harassed’,CM asks Jairam

The Chief Minister said she has reviewed all matters mentioned in Ramesh’s letter written on November 18. She said while he is concerned over the MNREGA,his ministry is silent on another matter. Referring to the foodgrain scam,she said the Union Rural Development Ministry is silent on the slow progress in the CBI probe into the foodgrain scam.

Mayawati said the state government has made several arrangements for ensuring quality in the implementation of MNREGA across the state. Both national level and state level monitor are working under the same arrangements. She claimed whatever reports these monitors submit,the state government gets them examined and ensures effective actions.

Expressing surprise over Ramesh’s letters highlighting irregularities in MNREGA implementation in Uttar Pradesh,she claimed that the state has been the best performer in the past three years,citing information on the Union Rural Development Ministry’s website. Besides,the state is the first in fixing the minimum wages for the labourers,she added.

According to a government release,FIRs were lodged in about 117 matters in connection with irregularities in the implementation of MNREGA across the state. Out of 117 cases,the police have so far submitted charge-sheets in 55 cases. The release said actions were taken against 27 Class I officers,38 Class II officers and 63 Class III employees,besides 236 field level employees.

Earlier in his letter,Ramesh had cited instances of corruption in the implementation of the scheme in Balrampur,Gonda,Mahoba,Sonbhadra,Kushinagar,Mirzapur and Sant Kabir Nagar. He had insisted on a CBI probe.

Meanwhile,Mayawati described the Centre’s move to announce a hefty relief package for weavers as an “election stunt”. She added if the Central government was indeed concerned about the poor condition of weavers,it would have acted on the suggestions made by her in the past.