Corruption clouds UPA job scheme

A year after the project was launched in 20 of the 22 districts of the state last February, volunteers of NREGA Watch a coalition of organisations led by Jean Dreze, former member of the National Advisory Council and one of the main advocates of the Act, held a social audit in four blocks8212;Mander, Khunti, Kanka and Angara of Ranchi district on May 16-19. During this period, volunteers8212;most of whom were from Delhi and Allahabad Universities8212;lived in villages, visited work sites, verified job cards and held meetings. The aim of the audit was to 8220;empower people to fight corruption and defend their rights under the Act8221;.

The audit reports brought to light a series of omissions:

8226; Khunti: Construction of 750 wells were undertaken last year. None of the wells have been completed till date.

8226; Angara: More than 600 job cards meant for people had been lying with middlemen patronised by block officials.

8226; Mander: In five villages, 175 job card holders had submitted applications. Among them, 166 never got work.

8226; NREGA operational guideline states that the Government agency, which makes the payment, has to mention in the job card the number of days of employment and wages paid. Not a single job card has any amount listed. Attendance was forged in most job cards.

8226; Since panchayat elections were not held in Jharkhand due to litigations, Gram Sabhas were set up by Government staff. Some of them helped 23 villagers from Medi in Kanke block to float a committee whose members executed NREGA work on paper.

8226; Records in the Kanke BDO8217;s office show that last year the state Government started 269 projects under NREGA. None of the projects were completed. Dreze said the performance of the state was better this year in comparison to last year. 8220;Things will improve if people are conscious of their rights,8221; he said.

When The Indian Express approached State Commissioner NREGA Shailesh Singh, he said efforts were being made to speed up implementation of the scheme. Also, the state Government had decided to form a separate secretariat under Singh8217;s command.

However, Ranjit Roy, a school teacher who had participated in the social audit carried out by Dreze8217;s team, criticised the state Government. 8220;Instead of the people jobs, the parallel bureaucracy in NREGA will consume public funds for its own upkeep, leaving little for asset creation and providing jobs for the poor.8221;