PTI
KOHIMA, February 2
Alleging that MGNREGA funds were being misused in Nagaland, state Congress president K Therie today asked the party workers to educate villagers on the number of days they should be getting to work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
“It is our duty to defend the job card holders and check that the villagers are getting the 100 days wages,” said Therie while addressing a commemorative function on 10 years of launching of MGNREGA organised by the party. The UPA-led Congress government had launched the scheme as NREGA but after BJP came to power in 2014 it was changed to MGNREGA, he said.
Therie asked the party workers to educate villagers on the number of days they should be getting to work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
Quoting the Republic Day speech of the Governor that 4.15 lakh job cards have been issued under MGNREGA in Nagaland, Therie said the state has reportedly received only Rs 70 crore, which would be barely for 3-4 man days.
Therie also alleged misuse of MGNREGA funds at the district level, stating that 50 per cent of the funds were kept as ‘convergence fund’ to be utilised by the MLAs as discretionary fund for developmental activities, which was wrong as per the laid down guidelines.
“We should not allow this to happen,” he said while calling upon the 11 district Congress committees to submit representation to the Deputy Commissioners concerned asking them to take corrective measures.
The Congress president also charged the state government of syphoning money by forcing the Village Council Chairman (VCC) and Village Development Board (VDB) Secretaries to sign blank cheques.
Congress leaders should see that this system does not continue, he said.
Further, Therie also expressed that if the present government is unable to deliver, we should request the people to bring a change.
