MGNREGS scandal: Government finding hard to remain quiet
Manipur Cabinet decides to chalk out specific guidelines for MGNREGS
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal,September 12, 2012: With a number of Pradhans and Ward Members being issued Warrant of Arrests on charges of fund misuse and irregularities in connection with implementation of MGNREGS, the State Government had found it hard to remain a silent spectator any more.

A meeting of the State Cabinet today has minutely discussed ways and means to come up with a specific system wherein implementation of MGNREGS in the state could be carried out smoothly and effectively without any chaos.

After a serious deliberation over the issue, the Cabinet finally resolved to chalk out specific guidelines for the implementation of MGNREGS in the state.

According to reports received by Hueiyen Lanpao in connection with the Cabinet meeting, the State Government is aware of the fact that the MGNREGS, which is being implemented in the state to provide 100 days of work to every individual living below poverty line in a year compulsorily, is not been implemented smoothly.

There have been cases where even the Pradhans and Ward members have been issued Arrest Warrants on charges of misusing fund, irregularities and gross violation of the laid down guidelines in connection with implementation of the MGNREGS, which is considered to be one the flagship programmes of the UPA Government at the Centre.

Considering the seriousness of the issue and the possibility of central Government doing away with MGNREGS in the State, the State Government took up the matter for discussion in the Cabinet meeting today.

Since the scheme is also being implemented in the hill districts, the chances of spreading the same 'epidemic' being experienced in the valley district is very high.

So, before things begin to turn ugly in the hill districts as well, the Cabinet has decided to chalk out specific guidelines for implementation of MGNREGS in the state, the reports said.

Following the Cabinet decision, the officials concerned have been directed to draft the guidelines with no loopholes in it, the reports said, while disclosing that under the new guidelines, there are possibilities of changing the way in which the Pradhans and Gram Panchayat members are being allowed to transact the funds, so that there is no means where the elected leaders could misuse the funds meant for common people.

In today's Cabinet meeting, issues related to the power given for transacting funds by District Rural Development Agencies (DRDAs) were also reportedly taken up for deliberation.

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