AIZAWL: The BJP Mizoram unit has accused the Mizo National Front (MNF) government headed by Chief Minister Zoramthanga of "violating" the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MGNREG) Act and "misusing" its funds.
However, the state government denied the allegations and said it acted as per the guidelines and did not misuse funds. State BJP Mahila president and Central Schemes Monitoring and Vigilance vice president F Lalremsangi told reporters on Friday that there were "irregularities" in the creation of a monitoring and implementing body of MGNREG scheme and utilisation of the funds in the state.
She alleged that the state government constituted Mizoram State Employment Guarantee Council for regular monitoring and reviewing the implementation of the MGNREG Act but "failed" to meet the guidelines with respect to the appointment of women members.
She said that at least five women should be nominated by the state government among non-official members in the state employment guarantee council. "The government failed to meet the Central guidelines in the creation of state employment guarantee council which tantamounts to the violation of the MGNREG Act," she said.
She asked the state government to immediately appoint five women members as demanded by the Act. Lalremsangi claimed that the state government in 2019 enhanced the wages component and material component at 60:40 ratio.
As regards material component the state government had proposed 40 per cent of the fund to be utilised at district employment council (DEC) level and 30 per cent each at block employment council (BEC) and village employment council (VEC) against the Act, the BJP leader alleged.
She alleged that lakh of rupees under the material component meant for the rural poor has been embezzled and misused by the MNF government to strengthen its party.
Lalremsangi said that the BJP would submit a petition to state governor Hari Babu Kambhampati to constitute a high-level inquiry commission to probe into the alleged discrepancies and misuse of funds under the MGNREG scheme.
Mizoram Rural Development minister Lalruatkima denied the allegations and claimed that the state employment guarantee council was constituted as per the Central guidelines. He said that the required women members of non-official members have been already appointed as not less than one-third of non-official members should be women as per the existing guidelines.
He also refuted the allegations that funds were misused for strengthening the party. "State employment guarantee council is constituted as per the guidelines and no funds are either misappropriated or misused for other purposes. The BJP leader was ignorant about the fact...," Lalruatkima told PTI.
According to the minister, the state employment guarantee council had decided to enhance the wages - material sharing ratio to 60:40 from the existing 90:10 - with a hope to have an eventual increase in the state matching share from 2.415 per cent to 10 per cent of the sanction received and also to address the growing needs of assets creation.
The council had also decided to lay emphasis on the creation of durable assets, which could be achieved by placing emphasis on the share of material component, he said.
He claimed that the state employment guarantee council had also decided to utilise the material component at the level of DEC, BEC and VEC in the ratio of 40:30:30 for better implementation of the MGNREG scheme.