Sonia alleges corruption in NREGA schemes in non-Congress states

New Delhi, Nov 2 (UNI) Congress President Sonia Gandhi has asked the Manmohan Singh government to "examine carefully" the complaints of diversion of funds and corruption in non-Congress states in the implementation of the UPA coalition's flagship programme-National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA).

''Complaints of diversion of funds and corruption in non-Congress states have been widespared. I have asked our UPA government to examine them carefully,'' she said in a letter to Congress workers which was published in the latest issue of the party's mouthpiece ''Sandesh.'' She asked the party cadre to take an active interest in the implementation and monitoring of the schemes that had been launched as part of the path-breaking legislation and in the propagation of the Congress' unique contribution in this area.

Ms Gandhi said the NREGA had been extended straightaway to all the districts of the country following a meeting of all the General Secretaries of the AICC with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The NREGA was launched in February 2006 in 200 districts and that was later extended to 330 districts.

Referring to the recent fixation of minimum support price for wheat and paddy, she said ''such levels of increase are unprecedented and demonstrate the firm commitment of our party to the welfare of our kisan community.'' On the forthcoming elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, Ms Gandhi expressed the hope that the people of Gujarat , from all sections of society irrespective of religion and caste, would place their trust and confidence in the Congress "so that the Gujarat of Gandhiji is preserved, protected and promoted." In Himachal Pradesh, she said the accomplishments of the incumbent Congress government would enable the party to come back to power so as to continue to provide a government committed to economic growth, social welfare and communal harmony in the state.

UNI