MGNREGA funds’ social audit: With 3% recovery of pilfered funds, Bihar among laggard states
Bihar government has been able to recover only Rs 36,73,483 (3.12 per cent) out of Rs 11.79 crore even as states such as Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have shown better recovery than Bihar, data shows.
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The social audit for 2020-21 and 2021-21 was not done because of coronavirus pandemic. (Representational/File)The Bihar government has failed to meet the February 14 deadline set by the Rural Development department to recover MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) funds misappropriated during 2019-20, shows a report by the Social Audit Society (SAS). The social audit report pointed out embezzlement of Rs 11.79 crore and deviation of Rs 353 crore during the year.
Bihar government has been able to recover only Rs 36,73,483 (3.12 per cent) out of Rs 11.79 crore even as states such as Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have shown better recovery than Bihar, data shows.
Jharkhand has recovered Rs 2,37,89,503 (14.96 per cent) out of total Rs 15.9 crore while Tamil Nadu has recovered Rs 4,33,61,950 (11.58 per cent) out of total misappropriated fund of Rs 37.12 crore. Karnataka has recovered Rs 3,07,59,978 (5.12 per cent) out of Rs 60.06 crore, shows the official data.
The social audit for 2020-21 and 2021-21 was not done because of coronavirus pandemic.
During 2019-20, Bihar spent Rs 3,370 crore on MGNREGS while Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Jharkhand have spent Rs 5,621 crore, Rs 4,748 crore and Rs 1,699 Cr on the scheme during the year.
On February 9, MGNREGA commissioner CP Khanduja in a letter to all Bihar district magistrates-cum- programme officers and deputy development commissioners, wrote: “The embezzled money has to be recovered fast but it has not been done yet…the amount should be recovered by 14 February 2022”.
Bihar rural development department principal secretary Arvind Kumar Chaudhary said: “This is social audit, not audit and hence, can not be fully true. After completing the appeals process, we will start recovery”. On alleged financial deviation, the secretary said: “I need to look into it”.
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