UP not spending NREGS funds, alleges Cong

Lucknow, Jun 13 (UNI) Congress today alleged that the Uttar Pradesh government was not utilising the central funds for the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), thus hindering employment avenues.

Congress claimed while UP had been provided Rs 33,242.07 lakh to start the scheme in 22 districts, the funds were lying unspent with the various chief development officers (CDOs).

''In Unnao district, only 212 job cards have been issued to villagers to participate in the scheme...I was told that block development officers were demanding 20 per cent cut to release funds for the scheme from gram pradhans,'' AICC secretary in charge of UP affairs Pravin Rajpal said.

Handing out statistics based on a Lok Sabha reply, Rajpal claimed UP -- with 22 districts in the scheme -- was the second biggest beneficiary.

''While UP is doling unemployment allowance, it is not helping in generating more employment opportunities,'' he claimed. He said Congress was against providing unemployment allowance, but believed in generating more job opportunities.

Quoting government figures, Rajpal alleged UP was the only state which reported lowest number of job cards issued to villagers under the employment guarantee scheme.

UNI NAB VS RL HT1557