Asif Iqbal Naik
Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 24: Two days after "Early Times" carried the story on non- release of funds by the government to clear the liability under MGNREGA, the government of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday ordered to release of Rs. 285.90 Cr to 22 Districts of the state to clear the long pending liabilities.
As per the details available with "Early Times", Government vide order No. RD/MG NR EGA/ Rets. / 47 / 2OL5-t6 Dated 23-12-2016 issued by Additional Secretary to Government,Member Secretary (MGNREGA) State Employment Guarantee Authority on behalf of Secretary to Government J&K Department of RD & PR (Chairman, State Employment Guarantee Authority) order for release of the said amount in favour of the Assistant Commissioner Development of all the Districts of the state and the funds are released subject to the fulfillment of the conditions by the implementing agencies which stated that the grant is towards plan expenditure and shall be utilized for approved items of works subject to the conditions laid down in
MGNREGA guidelines. No deviation from the provisions of the Guidelines is permissible, for all works taken up under schemes, by the Gram Panchayat and other implementing Agencies, the cost of the material
Component including the wages of skilled and semi-skilled workers shall not exceed 40% at District level, the ACDs shall ensure that the Administrative expenses including salary of the supporting staff engaged under MGNREGA shall be meted out from the Administrative cost i,e. 6% of the releases made till date, A separate account of sub head wise expenditure made on approved recurring and non-recurring items of expenditure shall be maintained and annual audit shall be got conducted by a Chartered Accountant, ACDs to submit latest UCs before 31-12-201.6, failing which no further release shall be made to the district, the next installment can be claimed when 60% of the available funds have been exhausted and a Utilization certificate on the
Prescribed format as given in annexure "25" of the 4th edition of MGNREGA guidelines shall have to be submitted, ACDs to ensure 100% MIS updation failing which no further releases shall be made, The monthly expenditure statement along with the consolidated Monthly Progress Reports of all the districts of J&K under MGNREGA must reach by the 5th day of every month.
As per the order, Doda District top the list with 30.20 Cr followed by Kishtwar District which get Rs. 29.!2 Cr for clearing the liability out an amount of approximately Rs. 60 Cr, Kupwara, Poonch and Rajouri District get Rs. 21.69 Cr each, Bharamullah, Ananatnag get Rs. 17.90 Cr each, Jammu 16.27 Cr, Reasi 15.18 Cr, Kulgam 13.01 Cr, Kathua 10.84 Cr, Budgam 8.87 Cr, Bandipura, Udhampur 8.67 Cr, Pulwama Rs. 7.59 Cr each, Kargil 6.67 Cr, Shopian 6.50 Cr, Samba 4.66 Cr, Leh 3.42 Cr, while Srinagar District had the least liability and an amount of Rs. 1.46 Cr was released in favour of the summer capital to clear the MGNREGA liability. It is pertinent to mention that the assurance with regard to release of the pending liability in three was assured by none other than Minister for RDD himself last month, but despite promising for release of MGNREGA funds in three days, it took RDD minister over a month to direct the concern officials to release the amount as promised by him that too only after the news regarding the broken promise by the RDD minister carried by the "Early Times" in its 21-12-2016 edition. |
