CBI submits probe report on MNREGA before Supreme Court

New Delhi, Feb 12: The CBI has placed before the Supreme Court its report on the investigation into alleged corruption in utilisation of Central funds by six districts of Odisha for the rural job guarantee scheme under MNREGA.

The report in a sealed cover was placed on Friday before a bench headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia in compliance with its May 12, 2011 order by which CBI was directed to conduct the investigation on the basis of survey reports provided by the petitioner, CAG report and the National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD).

The alleged irregularities have been detected in the districts of Kalahandi, Mayurbhanj, Rayagada, Bhawanipatna, Koraput and Malakangiri.

The CBI was asked to spell out the offences likely to be made against the officials.

The NGO, which is a petitioner in the matter, had submitted that as per the reports, there was misappropriation of funds between 53 per cent and 88 per cent in the six districts.

The apex court had on December 16, 2010, while hearing the PIL, rapped both the Union and the state governments for their failure in properly executing the rural job guarantee scheme.

The bench, also comprising justices A K Patnaik and Swatanter Kumar, directed Orissa, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir and Manipur to file affidavits making it clear whether they were following the guidelines laid down by the Centre in 2008 for the implementation of funds for MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005).

The hearing on the case will be held now after four weeks.

PTI