93% of MGNREGA funds disbursed to states, UTs this year: Centre

Contrary to the general perception that the Narendra Modi-government was going slow on UPA’s flagship programme MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act), the Centre on Monday claimed that it has already released 93 per cent of the allocated budget to the states in 2015. 

Speaking exclusively to Millennium Post, Rural Development Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh said: “We have already released 93 per cent from the total allocation of the budget under MGNREGA this year to the Union Territories and states. There has been no delay of payment to any state or UT. If anyone has said such a thing has happened then it must because of the non-submission of the previous expenditure of the state or UT.”

The move is being seen as measure to reclaim lost goodwill for the Modi-government in rural areas. The budget provision for the scheme for this year is Rs 34,699 crore and the ministry has already released Rs 33, 215 crore to UTs and states as on December 21, 2015. Reiterating that funds have already been sanctioned to the UTs and states, Aparajita Sarangi, Joint Secretary, MGNREGA said: “Since this year we have already released 93 per cent of the budget to the states, the latter are very comfortable as compared to last year.”

On the issue of delayed payments, she said: “Delayed payment is when payment is made after 15 days of the closure of the Muster Roll. Last year 72 per cent of the payments were delayed which means 72 per cent of the payments were made beyond 15 days of closure of the Muster Roll. This year that figure is 51 per cent. So has been a reduction in delayed payments.”

She added: “Also, this year for MGNREGA percentage generation is much more compared to last year. In the second quarter (July, August and September) of this year, there been maximum percentage generation as compared to last five years. The next quarter after that is October, November and December (which is going on) but even till now whatever we have achieved is much more than last year’s figure.”

There has been 45.4 person day’s generation in the second quarter this year, highest ever in the last 5 years and 37 per cent more than last year.

“It is true that nearly 50 per cent of all MNREGA transactions worth Rs 7,200 crore have been delayed but compared to last year the figure was 72 per cent and now, it has come down to 50 per cent. We are trying really hard to bring it down further,” added Sarangi.

The ministry has also stressed that not less than 60 per cent expenditure in every district in terms of cost should be on agriculture and allied activities. “Our national figure for this is 66 per cent on agriculture and allied activities for all districts,” added the official.