Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government and the Centre are at loggerheads over fund allocation under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme.
While Panchayati Raj Minister Pradeep Maharathy stated in a written reply in the State Assembly that the Centre is yet to release Rs 2,885.40 crore under MGNREGA, Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Jual Oram countered that the State government has been unable to utilise allocated funds.
Maharathy further stated that the Centre in 2017-18 financial year alone has not released Rs 335.89 crore to the State.
“From 2011-2012 to 2017-18, the Centre has not released around 25.99% funds,” said Maharathy adding that the State is trying hard to ensure job card holders get payment for their work as soon as possible.
Slamming the State government, Oram mentioned, “The Centre wants utilisation certificates of the work. The State can ask for more funds only after submission of utilisation certificates. If the State government says less money has been released, let it come out with a white paper.”
Crores of funds under MGNREGA for all the districts are lying unutilised, he claimed.
On the other hand, many job card holders complain that they have not received wages for work done under the MGNREGA scheme.
“I have worked under the MGNREGA scheme at Dabajharana Kata in Barkote of Deogarh district. Since three months we have not received wages for the work done. Despite my repeated visit to the Kantapali bank, which is 15 kms away from my village, I am returning empty-handed,” said Bharati Nayak, an MGNREGA beneficiary.
Similar reports have also surfaced in Lamtaput block of Koraput district where as many as 40 beneficiaries are yet to get their dues.
“It has been eight months since we have completed work under the scheme. Whenever we asked for our pending dues, the authorities told us approach the district administration,” stated Purba Jani, another job card holder.