Expressing concern over complaints of corruption in MGNREGA projects,Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said the government has decided to conduct audit of 10 per cent of villages on a random basis every year. Speaking to reporters after participating in 'Nirmal Bharat Yatra' at a village near here,Ramesh said,I am concerned about complaints of corruption in Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme from various states. At some places,payments were made towards wages in the names of persons who were dead. In consultation with state governments,the ministry has decided to make this scheme more transparent and also conduct random audit of ten per cent of village Panchayats every year to check corruption, he said. The minister said the Comptroller and Auditor General was checking the MGNREGA accounts in various states and is likely to prepare a state-wise report by December.
