Raghuvansh denies RJD MP's charge of corruption in NREGA in Bihar

New Delhi, July 28 (UNI) Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh today denied charges of widespread corruption in the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and said ample mechanism existed to curb them.

Reacting to the criticism from his own party MP Ram Kripal Singh in the Lok Sabha, Mr Singh said that there has been no written or verbal complaints received by his ministry for Bihar as alleged by the RJD MP. If any complaints were received by his ministry, it would direct inquiry and take action, he said.

He said that in Bihar, the NREGA has not been implemented on time due to the Panchayat elections but now the process has started.

However, he was not satisfied with the pace as very few Job Cards have been distributed among the people applying for work under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.

He admitted there may have been some irregularities under the Food for Work Programme, but the MPs should write about them.

Only then cognisance could be taken and action initiated, he added.

Asserting there were ample mechanism existing to curb any corruption under the NREGA, he urged the MPs to hold regular meetings in their constitutency and take stock of the development work going on. Mr Prasad said he was totally dissatisified with the response of most of the Chief Ministers and MPs because even after seeking their estimate of the implementation of NREGA and Indira Awas Yojna, the did not respond.

Mr Singh said the implementation of NREGA not started on the stipulated time in four other states of Asom, West Bengal, Kerala and Tamil Nadu due to Assembly elections but now the pace was picking up.

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