MGNREGS funds misused in AP

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 20, 2013 : Both union and state governments may have vehemently denied any misuse of the funds allocated under UPA’s flagship programme MNREGS in many instances earlier, but a survey report shows crores of rupees under this scheme were siphoned off meting out a raw deal to illiterate tribal farmers since 2009 who were working in plantation of coffee and silver oak trees in 11 Agency mandals-the remote areas of Vizag district. It was MNREGS which brought UPA to form government at the Centre in 2009 for the second time.

A special social audit conducted in 5 panchayats in Pedabayalu and 3 panchayats in Dumbriguda mandals, by the district administration showed that deviations were found to the tune of Rs 1.1 cr. The MNREGS works were undertaken in total 39 panchayats in the two mandals.  Action was also recommended against around more than 40 staff of ITDA for the misappropriation.

While it may be just the tip of the ice berg, a door to door survey and various meetings conducted by Girijana Sangham  for more than 6 months in all the 11 Agency mandals found that around Rs 33. 47 cr funds of the total Rs 45.45 cr shown as spent as payments in the records have gone to fake beneficiaries, which was alleged to have found its way into the pockets of the staff.  The survey was done under the supervision of Professor in economics of Andhra University, M Prasada Rao. 

Works were undertaken in total 39, 502 acres spread in around 190 panchayats in the 11 Agency mandals. Around 23, 115 tribal workers were involved in plantation of Coffee and silver oak trees under MNREGS.

“Most of the pass books belonging to the tribals coming under this employment scheme were seen blank without any entries. While some of them doesn’t even have pass books. We have found this in most of our area meetings where we called tribals to participate. They are not aware of any payment,” said Prof Prasada Rao.

Records with the government show that around Rs 45. 45 was withdrawn from the bank accounts and paid to the MNREGS beneficiaries. “While the special social audit was done only for a few panchayats in just 2 mandals it should be conducted in all the 11 Agency mandals as it was found in the survey that 80 percent of the amount was paid to fake beneficiaries which clearly indicates that the said money was siphoned.  We demand that the district collector should order special social audit to entire Agency and see that actual beneficiaries get the payments besides initiating criminal proceedings against the errant,” said CPM district secretary, Ch Narasinga Rao.