Rights activist alleges misappropriation of MNREGA funds

Noted rights activist Avadhash Kaushal today threatened to complain to the Planning Commission of India against bureaucrats in Uttarakhand who he said were misappropriating MNREGA funds in connivance with contractors and politicians.
"Bureaucrats in connivance with contractors and politicians are trying their best to sabotage the MNREGA programme in Uttarakhand. Rs 348.81 crore received by the state under the flagship scheme are being misappropriated," Kaushal said quoting from the findings of a study conducted by RLEK, the city based NGO, he chairs.
Alleging massive bungling in MNREGA in the state due to the nexus between bureaucrats, contractors and politicians, Kaushal said a study conducted by his NGO found that incomplete job cards were being made and distributed among people who were not the targeted beneficiaries of the scheme.

Remunerations are not being paid on time to deserving beneficiaries, muster rolls are not being filled at the place of work and records are being manipulated, the Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra (RLEK) chairman said quoting the findings of the study.
The study was conducted by the NGO in four predominantly SC/ST inhabited blocks of three districts including Uttarkashi, Tehri and Dehradun.
"To curb this bungling, RLEK will approach the Planning Commission and Ministry of Rural Development and if need be go to the courts to seek legal remedy," Kaushal said.
The study was conducted by RLEK with the support of Public Transparency Fund whose India head is former Chief Justice of India M N Venkatachaliah in blocks where presence of 19,000 SC/ST bonded labourers was acknowledged by the state government, Kaushal said.