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| Non-releasing of funds hit developmental works in rural areas | | | Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Early Times Report
Srinagar, Mar 18: As Centre has earmarked Rs 200 crore in budget for works identified during Back to Village programme, developmental works in rural areas continue to get affected due to non-releasing of funds for various works.
Centre has announced over Rs one lakh crore budget for Jammu and Kashmir for the next fiscal. This is for the first time, when new Union Territory’s budget has gone over Rs one lakh crore.
At the same time over Rs 200 crore has been announced for the works identified during Back To Village programmes held last year.
However, there are already over Rs 400 crore pending for works under MGNREGA scheme over the last several years.
Government has been claiming it was strengthen grassroots and devolving powers to Panches and Sarpanches of the new Union Territory.
To the contrary, authorities have failed to clear arrears of works under MGNREGA scheme for last several years.
An official of Rural Development Department said the liabilities have reached to Rs 400 crore.
“This including payment of wages of labourers and material used in developmental works,” the official said.
He however said some payment in the current fiscal has been released. “Payment of previous years is pending because of certain issues. Centre has released some payment but JK government is yet to give it labourers and contractors,” he said.
As per the guidelines, labourers engaged on developmental works under MGNREGA scheme must get their wages by 14 days.
A Sarpanch claimed that Panchayat members are not able to start developmental works in their respective constituencies.
“All promises made with Panchayat members proved farce. Government is lying that it is empowering Panchayat members. All developmental works have been halted as labourers are not ready to work because their wages have not been cleared,” he said.
There 4,490 Sarpanch and 35096 Panch constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir. There are 21 departments including Rural Development, Social Welfare, Health, Education, Power, Horticulture, Fisheries and Agriculture, which come under the administrative control of Panchayat members.
Panchayats, in addition to being involved in the selection of eligible beneficiaries for various government welfare schemes, can get Rs 50 lakh-80 lakh per year for implementation of key national schemes such as the National Health Mission and Samagra Shiksha etc. |
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