The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has indicted the Bihar rural development department for alleged glaring irregularities in implementation of centrally-sponsored wage employment programmes for additional wage employment, food security and creation of durable assets.
The National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) introduced in 2006 guaranteed employment of 100 days in a year for every household willing to manual work, the CAG in its report for the period ending March 31, 2007 said adding unfruitful expenditure of Rs 47.46 lakh was made for preparing perspective plan under National Food for Work Programme (NFFWP) in eight test-checked districts.
Perspective plan and shelf of projects were not prepared under NREGS. Annual action plans contained schemes with higher material labour ratio than prescribed norms, the report pointed out.
Funds of Rs 24.97 crore provided for payment of wages under Sampoorna Gramin Rojgar Yojna (SGRY) and NFFWP were diverted towards sales tax and marketings fees. No work under NREGS was undertaken in nine test checked offices despite availability of Rs 23.66 crore, it said.
Internal controls relating to identification of labourers works and payment of wages were not working under NREGS. Reports of employment generation were without any basis.
There was non accountal of 5,345 mt rice valued at Rs 7.06 crore in three zila parishads, one District Rural Development Authority (DRDA) and 18 blocks in six districts, the CAG said.
Source:http://economictimes.indiatimes.com,15-04-08
