Dimapur, October 7 (MExN): The Nagaland Public Rights Awareness and Action Forum (NPRAAF) has expressed shock that when the Government of India (GoI) has sanctioned Rs 501.51 crore MGNREGA funds for 2016-17, “how can liabilities for the same financial year be Rs 597.68 crore which is more than 100% of the sanctioned amount for implementation of MGNREGA?”
The NPRAAF has expressed this in response to an August 2017 release by the Nagaland State Village Development Board Association (NSVDBA) on the issue.
Reiterating points made by The Morung Express in a report published on August 24, 2017, the NPRAAF raised the issue of “allegations of irregularities in implementation of MGNREGA raised by some RD blocks including Medziphema and Chumukedima regarding blank cheques and deductions.”
“Numerous complaints from the public as seen in the local dailies and social media speak volumes about the possibility of a bigger and massive mismanagement going on in this central scheme,” noted the NPRRAF.
Thus, it urged the Rural Development Department to “reveal the details in public domain through all the local newspapers as regards the release of funds for material and labour component in district wise, block wise and village wise and then provide the total amount.”
The awareness forum reiterated that “Since there is widespread public misgiving about the transparent distribution of MGNREGA funds, the Rural Development Department is urged to publish these complete details in the local dailies the cost of which should be borne by it or the State Government.”
“Such publication of information will facilitate the public to know the actual amount released to their village and the amount they received. This is a simple step that could be taken by the RD to exhibit transparent utilization and disbursement of central funds instead of claiming that the funds are reaching the grassroots people who are complaining about not getting their due share,” it stated.
The NPRAAF further maintained that “Refusal to provide the details in public domain may compel NPRAAF to approach appropriate authority to initiate CBI inquiry into the entire RD Department.”
“RD is not the only department involved in such irregularities but many other departments, in collaboration with the State Finance Department, are actively involved in mismanagement of hundreds of crores of rupees as published in local dailies from time to time by different NGOs and individuals,” the NPRAAF alleged.
It urged the Governor of Nagaland State and the Indian Union government to take note of such issues and take necessary steps in this regard as “the financial mismanagement by the Nagaland government in various departments is likely to run into thousands of crores of rupees meant for the public.”
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