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Raje asks Centre to release funds

JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has called upon the Centre to release adequate funds under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme to enable the State to implement it vigorously and also release the outstanding funds under various Centrally-sponsored schemes in the rural areas.

In a letter addressed to Union Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, Ms. Raje said though the rural jobs scheme had been introduced in all the districts of the State, the labourers could not be paid in time for lack of adequate funds.

Ms. Raje requested Mr. Singh to ensure release of outstanding funds of the first and second phases for 2007-08 at the earliest, while pointing out that the unpaid amount in some districts amounted to Rs.50 crore to Rs.90 crore.

“There is a provision in the NREG Act for payment of remuneration to labourers within a fortnight after the completion of work. The State Government is not able to comply with the provision because of insufficient funds,” wrote Ms. Raje.

The Chief Minister said the implementing machinery for NREGS at the panchayat, district and State levels should be strengthened taking into account a recent recommendation of the Comptroller and Auditor General.

As for the Centrally-sponsored schemes, Ms. Raje pointed out that wages could not be paid to the labourers engaged for them for the past ten months and their implementation had slowed down following the non-availability of funds.

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