State leads in MNREGS expenditure across country
Jaipur Panchayati raj and rural development mnister Rajendra Rathore on Monday informed the house that the state is leading in MNREGS expenditure, and stands fourth in terms of wage release to labour, across the country. Rajasthan has spent Rs 4430 crore in MNREGS works in 2017-17
Addressing the house during question hour, he also assured that the pending Rs 300 crore material component will be released in coming 20 days. He said there were only five gram panchayats in the state where no work under the MGNREGA was taken up in the current fiscal year.
In his reply to a question by BJP MLA Ghanshyam Tiwari, Rathore said slow server speed, lack of employees, incorrect details of several labourers’ accounts were among the reasons for delay in payments of wages under the MGNREGA.
Rathore said in 2016-17, Rs 3083.45 crore was slated for release as wages to labourers, of which Rs 3004.82 cr has been released so far. The pending amount will released by the end of this financial year.
“Nationwide average of delay in wages is 54%, which in Rajasthan is 24% - we stand fourth across the country,” he said. The minister informed MNREGS cannot be connected with agriculture works as there is no such provision. In reply to a supplementary question, he informed that 97% labourers are given wages through bank transfer.
In Rajasthan, there are 97 lakh job card holders, of which 2.26 lakh families have been provided 100 days work this year.