The slowness in releasing compensation for material components in MGNREGA projects is down to delays in the transfer of funds from the central government, the state government said today.
Recently, the Synjuk ki Rangbah Shnong Ri Bhoi District announced its decision to file a PIL against the state government for failing to clear pending bills related to the implementation of the rural employment scheme in several villages of the district.
Today, Community and Rural Development Minister Abu Taher Mondal informed that, as far as materials go, the Centre is meant to bear 75 per cent of the cost and the state the remaining 25 per cent.
“Fifty per cent we have released. The share as far as materials is concerned is 75-25 per cent,” Mondal said. “So, unless the Centre releases the funds, it is difficult for us to release just the 25 per cent from our end. This is a continuous process and we will keep insisting for the 50 per cent to be released at the earliest.”
The pending funds are only for projects that have already been executed and will not affect those that are in the process of being implemented, he added.
Earlier, the Hynñiewtrep Youth Council (HYC) submitted a memorandum to the minister about the concerns over payments.
The organisation stated that in some blocks, there are Village Employment Councils that have not received the funds even after a period of two years, which has badly affected the implementation of the MGNREGA.
The pressure group thus suggested that the state come out with a promise to release funds for material components within a period of six months, failing which it will pay interest on top of the pending amount.
