Improper implementation of NREG scheme, UP tops the list

In the backdrop of the Uttar Pradesh unit of Congress accusing the Mayawati-led state Government of improper implementation...

In the backdrop of the Uttar Pradesh UP unit of Congress accusing the Mayawati-led state Government of improper implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee NREG scheme, the Centre on Wednesday revealed that the state tops the list of complaints received regarding irregularities and corruption in the implementation of the scheme.

According to the statistics available with the Central Government, the state accounted for over 25 per cent of total complaints received in this regard. Of the total 398 complaints received regarding the implementation of the UPA government8217;s flagship rural job guarantee scheme since its launch in 2006, UP topped the chart with a maximum of 100 complaints. UP topped the chart every year with 18 complaints in 2006-07, 38 complaints in 2007-08, and 44 complaints in the current year till the end of September.

The information was given on Wednesday by Minister of State for Rural Development Chandrasekhar Sahu in a written response to a question in the Rajya Sabha. In the list, UP was followed by Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, which had 62 and 57 complaints respectively since the launch of the scheme. The performance of UP stood in contrast with those of north-eastern states like Nagaland, Tripura, Mizoram and the hill state of Uttarakhand, from where the Rural Development Ministry has not received any complaints so far.

Sahu said that his ministry had been asking the state governments to establish a suitable grievance redressal and disposal mechanism at the appropriate levels. He added that the states were also asked to take punitive action against officials involved in misappropriation and embezzlement of government funds and criminal prosecution be initiated against them, besides recovering the amount involved from them.