AGARTALA, December 8 (TIWN): CM, State Govt and also the CPI(M) have been criticising the Central Govt especially Modi's Govt regarding the curtailment of MGNREGA fund for Tripura. CPI(M) party has been be fooling the people through political rallies held in Tripura and even party's Central Committee leaders also came out strongly against the Centre blaming it for deprivation against Tripura in MGNREGA fund allocation. Even the state govt is not lagging far behind on this issue as the almost all the members of the state cabinet led by CM have been befooling the common mass saying that MGNREGA work this year is not yet up to the mark due to fund curtailment by the Centre. One top official said that as on 7th December only 26 days of work (average) has so far been completed during the current financial year. And state is not in a position to demand for further release.

But TRIPURA INFOWAY now presenting authentic news based on factual documents that will clearly show that the so called 'White' Chief Manik Sarkar and his govt have been lying with the people of the state.

        From May 2014 to 28th November 2014 Rs 38601 lakh ( more than Rs 386 crore) has been sanctioned for Tripura by the Ministry of Rural Development (Mahatma Gandhi NREGA Division) , Government of India. Lets have a glance of the said sanction during this period:-

1) On 8/5/2014  Deputy Secretary (MGNREGA) Union Rural Development Ministry Mr Gordhan All through his letter No.J-12035/1/2/2014-MGNREGA-IV SL No.20 allocated Rs 108,73,96,000/-( One Hundred Eight Crore Seventy Three Lakh Ninety Six Thousand only) as part of 1st trance of Central Assistance

2) On 13/08/2014 Mr S P Vashishth , Director MGNREGA vide his letter No.J-12045/1/2/2014-MGNREA-IV.SL.No.55 sanctioned Rs 71,29,98,000/-(Seventy One Crore Twenty Nine Lakh and Ninety Eight Thousand)  as part of 2nd Quarter of Central Assistance

3) On 16/10/2014 Mr S P Vashishth  Director, MGNREGA vide his letter No.J-12035/1/2/2014-MGNREGAIV.SL.No.77 sanctioned Rs 193,73,38,000/-(One Hundred Ninety Crore Seventy Three lakhs and Thirty Eight Thousand) as part of 3rd quarter of Central Assistance

4) On 28/11/2014 Mr D K Singh , Director, MGNREGA vide his letter No.J-12035/1/2/2914-MGNREGA-IV.No.94 allocated Rs @2,23,82,000/-(Twelve Crore Twenty Three Lakhs and Eighty Two Thousand) as part of 3rd quarter of Central Assistance.

     Thus, from the above documents it becomes clear that only in the Financial Year 2014-15 from May to November Central Govt has allocated more than Rs 386 crore under MGNREGA. So one can't be blamed if he asks Chief Minister Manik Sarkar the reasons behind wasting of more than Rs 50, lakh from state govt fund simply to organize a Sit-in Demonstration in protest against MGNREGA curtailment in front of Jantar Mantar which ultimately proved as flop show of Manik & Co. However, while sanctioning the phase wise fund Director of Union Rural Development Ministry( MGNREGA Division) categorically imposes few conditions and some of them are:-

1) The detailed vouchar-based data shall be available in the NREGASoft for all the expenditure done

2) This grant is towards plan expenditure and shall 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.

 Centre has also laid down some parameters failing of which further fund release will be stopped:

1) Staffing of Social Audit Directorate in pursuance of Ministry's letter and the appointment of Ombudsmen in various districts

2) Settlings of claims for compensation for delay in payment of wages

3) Operation of the provision of unemployment allowance as per Section 7 of MGNREGA.

       In this case TIWN had a telephonic chat with some govt officials. One of them said," On Friday (5th December) state govt circulated its order to all eight districts stating that Centre has assured that the payment of MGNREGA will have to be made through PL Houses and each job card holder will get 100 mandays of work. Interestingly, Centre categorically mentioned that the payment should be made on output basis." The official also said that the Internal Audit Report of Bishalgarh R D Block revealed the looting of Rs 50 crore under MGNREGA. And state govt is worried that if Social Audit is done massive looting will be unearthed once again.

Another official said that as on 7th December only 26 days of work (average) has so far been completed during the current financial year. And state is not in a position to demand for further release.

Release of MGNREGA funds of Rs.193 crores on 16th October,2014