BENGALURU: The state government has urged the Centre to release funds to pay wages under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in Karnataka.
In a letter to the Union Rural Development Department, Chief Secretary Vandita Sharma said rural labourers are migrating to other places in search of jobs as their wages are not paid in the state. She said funds for wages amounting to Rs 478.46 crore have not been released to the state since August. The last grant of Rs 1.55 crore for August and September was released on September 14.
The state government has declared 216 taluks as drought-hit. According to the chief secretary, because of drought, rural labourers are highly dependent on MGNREGS jobs for livelihood.
“The main objective of the scheme is to reduce the number of migrants moving from rural to urban areas and to provide job opportunities for them in villages, but because of delay in payment, labourers are unable to meet their daily needs and have started migrating from rural to urban areas seeking jobs,” she said.
Karnataka has submitted the audited utilisation certificate for 2022-23 and also annual accounts to the Ministry of Rural Development in September 2023. They have also submitted a wage utilisation certificate in August 2023 to the Union government. “We are requesting the release of wage grants to Karnataka at the earliest to implement the scheme effectively,” she said.
RDPR Minister Priyank Kharge said, “As of October 16, the Central government owes an outstanding debt of Rs 540 crore to Karnataka for MGNREGS wages. The Karnataka government has persistently pursued this matter with the Central government but got no response. When will the state’s BJP MPs and leaders display courage and advocate for the interests of the people of the state?” he said.