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Lamenting that implementation of rural job programme MGNREGS has come to a halt in Odisha due to paucity of funds, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today asked the centre to immediately release Rs 1195.40 crore to the state to resume it.
"There has been serious dislocation in effective implementation of MGNREGS in our state since January, 2014 due to shortage of funds under the scheme," Patnaik said in a letter to Union Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water and Sanitation Minister Chaudhary Birendra Singh.
During the last quarter of 2013-14, there was a requirement of Rs 363.24 crore as per the labour budget agreed to by ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) fiscal, but only Rs 82.61 crore was released in two instalments during the same year, the chief minister said.
To ensure uninterrupted implementation of the scheme and payment to labourers, the state government had released an advance to the tune of Rs 300 crore from its own funds to manage the situation, Patnaik said.
During the current financial year, the state has again faced similar situation due to less release of funds by the ministry leading to frequent disruption of works under the scheme, he said.
"As per the labour budget, agreed to by MoRD, there is a requirement of Rs 1258.50 crore up to the quarter ending December, 2014. So far only Rs 658.91 crore has been released in three instalments by MoRD," Patnaik said.
There is still an advance of Rs 219.88 crore released earlier from the state exchequer to be settled by the central government, the chief minister said.
"The implementation of MGNREGS in the state has come to a complete halt since October 15, 2014 due to paucity of funds. A proposal requesting for further release of funds has been sent to MoRD on November 13," he said.
"I would, therefore, request you to kindly intervene in the matter for immediate release of Rs 1195.40 crore to the state to resume implementation of the scheme," the chief minister said.
