Brinda Karat alleges corruption in NREGA implementation

Hoshiarpur, Oct 8 (UNI) CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat today alleged that there was large-scale corruption in the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), being implemented in this district of Punjab.

''Sarpanches and officials concerned have joined hands in this corruption game,'' she claimed while addressing a convention of CPM workers at Saila Khurd, about 30 km from here.

She said she was preparing a detailed report in this regard which would be submitted to the Union Government for taking strict action against those officers and sarpanches who were depriving the actual beneficiaries of this scheme for their selfish gain. She gave a clean chit to Chief Minister Capt Amrinder Singh and said he was not responsible for the corruption.

Ms Karat said the economic condition of farmers and farm labourers was going from bad to worse in Punjab, but the state as well as Central government had miserably failed in taking any effective steps to boost their economy.

She said the CPM would form village level committees soon in the state to start an agitation for pressurising the Central government to announce an economic package for the farmers and farm labourers of Punjab.

She decried the Punjab government for acquiring fertile pieces of land of the farmers at throwaway prices and then transferring them to the big business houses. The CPM would also oppose this move of the state government, she warned.

She said the CPM and the CPI would jointly contest the forthcoming assembly elections in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal and Manipur to defeat communal and fundamentalist forces.

Mr Raghunath Singh, state leader of the party, and many other leaders also addressed the convention and highlighted the current problems of farm and industry labourers.

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