On MNREGA pitch,Pune district scores a zero

The recent report of the Auditor General of Maharashtra about implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) reveals that while 1,454 works had been sanctioned during this period in Pune district,with a budget head of more than Rs 10 crores,not a single work has been completed.

Admitting the sorry state of affairs,Milind Pathak,deputy collector in-charge of Employment Guarantee Scheme (EGS) branch of the district collectorate,said that the majority of these projects have not been issued completion certificates. “The works we undertake requires a mixture of skilled and unskilled labour. While the unskilled portions are over in time,the skilled portions take time. Some works like afforestation take almost three years to be completed,and in Pune district 25 per cent of the work relates to plantation work,” he said.

At the district level,the Employment Guarantee Scheme (EGS) has been given the responsibility of overseeing work under the Scheme.

Pathak also said that a government resolution had recently been passed,directing the Pune district authorities to complete all skilled work within May 31. “We will try to finish the work within the stipulated time and issue completion certificates,” he said.

Meant to be a major source of employment for the rural people,works like drought-proofing,plantation,desilting of wells and road construction are some of the works undertaken under MNREGS. The MNREGA or Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act promises to generate employment for people in villages and build rural assets,which in long term should help ebb the tide of migration to urban areas.

However,issues like alleged corruption and official apathy have long plagued the system,hindering development in the process.While officials complain of non-availability of labourers for projects,ground level activists speak of refusal by officials to give work on time. Several complaints of inferior quality work have also surfaced,an issue that many relate to the inherent corruption within the system.

In its report,the AG had observed that of the 142 works sanctioned in the financial year 2008-09,only three had started. However,in 2009-10,none of them had been started,while in 2010-11 out of the 686 works sanctioned only 37 had begun. The fate of the rest remains unknown.

“From here it is obvious no work has been completed,and only 10 per cent of them have actually been initiated. A majority of these projects are yet to begin although they have already been sanctioned,” the report stated.

Interestingly,when it comes to using up funds for the projects,the report states that 87 per cent of the budget has already been utilised. In 2011-12,Rs 575.50 lakhs out of Rs 657.99 lakhs received for the projects have been spent.

The report went on to observe that there has been a poor response to the scheme and that it has failed to enhance livelihood among people living Below Poverty Line. “This position needs to be reported to the Government of India for necessary action,” the report mentioned.