CAG to audit rural development schemes, says Ramesh

Worried over allegations of corruption in many government programmes, Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh has requested the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) to audit all the schemes under his ministry.

Ramesh met Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in the state secretariat today, the last day of his three-day visit to the state.

“To maintain transparency, I have requested the CAG to engage special Auditor Generals in each state to audit the implementation of different schemes of my ministry,” he told reporters later.

The country’s apex audit agency has agreed to the proposal and is likely to take necessary step in this regard soon.

The Ministry of Rural Development is currently implementing schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, Indira Awas Yojana, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in different states with an annual outlay of around Rs 1,00,000 crore.

Irregularities were alleged in labour-intensive programmes like MGNREGS in several states, including Orissa. The Central Bureau of Investigation is investigating misappropriation of funds to the tune of Rs 500 crore in six districts of Orissa on the orders of the Supreme Court.

“I will not compromise with any irregularity in any of the schemes of my department,” Ramesh asserted.

The minister said the fraud in MGNREGS could be arrested, if the states implemented the scheme through the Computer Management System, as is the case in Andhra Pradesh. “I can say the Andhra Pradesh model is the best,” he added.

Ramesh, however, refused to comment on the alleged corruption in different rural development schemes in Orissa. “I am no thermometer to gauge the level of corruption in these schemes in 48 hours,” he told reporters.

The minister had yesterday discussed with the collectors of seven naxal-affected districts at Berhampur to know the problems faced by them in implementing various rural development schemes. The districts are Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Koraput, Rayagada, Malkanagiri and Nayagarh.

Out of the 60 naxal-affected districts in the country, 15 are in Orissa. Each of these districts have received Rs 25 crore last year and Rs 30 crore this year under the Integrated Action Plan for all-round development. Besides, his ministry sanctions Rs 6,000-crore annually to Orissa to undertake different rural development programmes.

Stating that the Maoist menace can be fought with rural development, he stressed on proper implementation of different schemes. "Rural development is the answer to fight naxalism. It will improve the living standard of the people in the villages," Union minister said.

Proper and successful implementation of welfare schemes like MGNREGA, PMGSY, IAY would be able to build a new relation between the government and tribal people, he added.