State demands fund restoration for six districts under CBI scanner

Close on the heels of the Centre halting aid to six districts of Orissa, where the CBI is probing irregularities in the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the state government has decided to approach the Union ministry of rural development (MoRD) on the matter.

The six districts under the CBI scanner are Koraput, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Kalahandi, Nuapada and Bolangir.

The state panchayati raj department today wrote to the MoRD, apprising the ministry on the steps taken by the department pertaining to the alleged irregularities in MGNREGA implementation.

"We will write to the MoRD on the action taken by the state panchayati raj department on the alleged MGNREGA scam. Our department will also seek funds for the six districts where the CBI probe is underway. The state government has already apprised the Supreme Court on the steps taken in connection with the MGNREFA irregularities. We expect a positive response from the ministry”, P K Jena, secretary (panchayati raj) told reporters here.

"We had sought Rs 2,300 crore under MGNREGA, of which the Centre has sanctioned Rs 529 crore”, he added.

Earlier, the state panchayati raj department had asked the collectors of the six districts to cooperate in the CBI probe.

Last month, the Supreme Court had asked the CBI to probe into the siphoning of MGNREGA funds in 100 villages across six districts of Orissa.

The apex court also directed the Central investigative agency to submit its report within six months. The CBI has been asked to check if the operational guidelines of the Central scheme were duly complied with by the Orissa government.

In addition to this, the Supreme Court had also asked the CBI to examine the comments of the Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG) of India as well as National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD) and not just be guided by the NGO which conducted the survey in 100 villages of the state.

The Orissa government had given its consent to the Union ministry of rural development for the CBI probe.