Centre raises serious irregularities in MGNREGS in Telangana demands thorough inquiry: Sources

New Delhi, Aug 12: The Union Rural Development Ministry has apprised the TRS government in Telangana about "serious irregularities" in the implementation of the rural employment programme MGNREGS in the state and suggested to it various required measures such as refund of irregularly spent amount and criminal action against defaulters, sources said on Friday.

After a central team which visited the state from June 9 to 12 flagged several issues in the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), the ministry sent 15 teams to the state which also found similar issues, the sources said.

They further said the teams highlighted issues such as undertaking non-permissible work, major irregularities in estimation, approval and implementation of the works and other procedural violations of guidelines relating to job cards, maintenance of proper documentation in the gram panchayats.

The Centre shared with the state detailed reports from the teams' field visits revealing "serious irregularities" in the implementation of the scheme. And it requires "action including refund of irregularly pent amount, criminal and administrative action against the defaulters as also recoveries," they said.

The Centre has also conveyed to the state that the accurate implementation of MGNREGS requires an overhaul of the administrative machinery and "inculcation of a culture of transparency, accountability and making best use of public funds," the sources said.

The Centre's letter to the state mentions that it views this matter with extreme concern and expects a detailed action taken report against all issues highlighted by the teams or the ministry and a thorough enquiry by the state government.