New Delhi: The Centre has on Saturday said that the actual fund released to the states under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act has been much higher than that provided for at the budgetary estimate level.
In a statement, the Ministry of Rural Development said that whenever, additional fund is required for the scheme, the Ministry of Finance is requested to provide the funds. "The government is committed to release funds for wage and material payments
for proper implementation of the scheme, as per the provisions of the act and guidelines applicable for Central government as well as state governments," it said. The ministry issued a clarification in wake of inaccurate portrayal of implementation of the scheme in some sections of the media. The ministry further said that most of the reports have commended the critical role played by MGNREGA scheme in sustaining and supporting poor households during the Covid-19 period.
However, some reports have failed to appreciate the nature of the scheme which has resulted in inaccurate portrayal of its implementation.