Al Ngullie
DIMAPUR, SEPTEMBER 17
THE Union Ministry of Rural Development has allocated Nagaland one of the biggest grant-in-aid financing for any rural welfare development scheme being implemented in the state in the recent two fiscal years.
The scheme is the rural development and employment-generative wage program the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA). The current allocation of more than Rs. 100 crores is substantially bigger. During the 2012-2013 fiscal, Nagaland received Rs. 80.2418 crore. Likewise, in April 2011, eight districts of Nagaland were allocated Grant-in-aid of about Rs. 25 crores for the implementation of the MNREGA.
The union ministry’s department of Rural Development-NREGA division has released to the state of Nagaland funds of more than Rs. 100 crores for the implementation of the nationwide rural employment empowerment program, the MNREGA.
The NREGA division has conveyed the Rural Development ministry’s approval of financial sanction totalling to Rs. 11062.55 Lakh (one hundred and ten crores and a sixty-two lakh and a fifty-five thousand) to State Employment Guarantee Fund of Nagaland, government of Nagaland.
The central government said the finance tranche is a payment of grant-in-aid and is a Central Assistance for the implementation of the MGNREGA scheme. The grant-in-aid is for the financial year 2013-2014. The grant-in-aid is towards Plan Expenditure of the state, a letter of the ministry’s MNREGA-division addressed to the accounts administration of the Rural Development ministry, stated. A copy of the official letter appended by Director of the MNREGA L Fanai was obtained by Eastern Mirror.
The grant-in-aid is to be utilized for the various approved items/heads of works subject to the conditions laid down in the MGNREGA guidelines. “No deviation from the provisions of the guidelines is permissible,” the director stated in the letter.
“Further fund would be released on receipt of compliance of all conditionalities (sic) prescribed at the time of previous releases. The grant is towards plan expenditure and will be utilized for approved items of works subject to the conditions laid down in the MGNREGA guidelines. No deviation from the provisions of the guidelines is permissible,” Fanai stated in the letter.
The director has advised that the grant should not be used for payment of wages at revised rates prior to the date of government of India’s notification dated 15th of December 2009. “The funds to the Implementing Agencies will be released immediately on the sanction of the works either in full or in installments in accordance with MGNREGA Act, MGNREGA guidelines and instructions of Government of India,” the director stated.
The expenditure incurred in the implementation of the MGNREGA with regard to 40% material component which also includes wages of skilled and semi-skilled labor, is to be shared on 75:25 basis between the Centre and the State government respectively.
The government of Nagaland is also to release its share within a fortnight of the date of release of the central assistance.
“They are requested to endorse the copy of the release order to the Central Government addressed to the director, Ministry of Rural Development.
