HYDERABAD: Rubbing salt into the wounds of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS)-led State government, the Union government has proposed to recover Rs 151.91 crore and also initiate legal/disciplinary action on the defaulting officials in the implementation of works under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) across the State.
The recovery of the money, perhaps for the first time, was proposed after a Central team toured the State from June 9 to 12. They found that the MGNREGS funds were being used for non-permissible works such as the construction of fish drying platforms and staggered trenches in forest areas.
In a letter addressed to the State government dated November 12, Secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development (MRD), Nagendra Nath Sinha, said: “As you are aware, a high-level Central team visited Telangana to review the implementation of MGNREGS (works) in June 2022. An ATR (action taken report) was sought from the State government as per the visit report. Its ATR was followed with observations, to which a revised ATR was submitted by the State government. This has been examined by the Ministry. Our detailed observations on the revised ATR are attached. The Central team has proposed a recovery of about Rs 151.91 crore and (take) legal/disciplinary action (against) the defaulting officials and others.”
“I am constrained to observe that even after two rounds of response(s) of the State government on the report, the perspective of the State government has been fully understood and factored into our final stand on the matter, which now needs to be scrupulously given effect to. I am to further observe that if the recovery and other related action, as recommended by us, are not made within 15 days from this communication, the Central government may initiate action as per Section 27 of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005.”
Ministry sources said that the Centre has exercised its right as granted under Section 27 of the Act. According to the Act, the Central government may give such directions, as it may consider necessary to the State government, for the effective implementation of the provisions of this Act.
It also allows the Central government, on receipt of any complaint regarding the issue or improper utilisation of funds granted under this Act, to take up investigation and order stoppage of the release of funds under the scheme and institute appropriate remedial measures for its proper implementation within a reasonable period of time. However, despite several attempts, The New Indian Express couldn’t reach State Panchayat department officials for comments.