UP gets Rs 1,200cr NREGS bounty

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After creating a storm over demand for CBI probe into the irregularities in implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) in Uttar Pradesh, Union minister of rural development Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday said that the Centre has released another `1,200 crores for the poll-

bound state unde-r the flagship scheme. The move has come after the Centre released an economic package for the weavers of UP earlier, while the Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi has begun the election campaign in the state for the next year’s Assembly elections.
However, Mr Ramesh reminded the UP government that the Centre was releasing the `1,200 crores for the NREGS despite “numerous instances of grave financial irregularities in the state”. Mr Ramesh’s first letter to the UP chief minister Mayawati seeking her concurrence for a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities had set off a war of words. Ms Mayawati had shot off a letter to the Prime Minister Mayawati in which she had accused Mr Ramesh for acting against the state due to political reasons.
After releasing `1200 crores for the state under NREGS, Mr Ramesh said that “the Centre is acutely conscious that the people of the state should not be penalised for the failure of the state government to take credible action against those held responsible for financial irregularities”.
The Centre had released `5,267 crores last year for UP for the implementation of NREGS in the state. This year the ministry of rural development had also released two instalments of `1,000 crores and `1,349 crores. Mr Ramesh has conveyed to the state government that “release of further instalments will be considered when action taken reports (against those alleged to be involved in irregularities) have been submitted and their veracity examined”.