The Gujarat Congress today lodged a complaint to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh accusing the ruling BJP of diverting MNREGA funds to payment of salaries to state government employees.
Lodging the complaint in a representation to the Prime Minister, who is in the city for a function, the Congress delegation urged him to direct the state government to set up a committee to inquire into complaints relating to MNREGA.
“There are lot of complaints with regard to rural development schemes, especially MNREGA. The monitoring committee under the Act has not met once...In some cases, MNREGA funds are being used for payment of salaries to Grade-IV employees of the forest department,” Congress MP Pravin Rashtrapal told reporters here.
Congress state President Arjun Modhwadia said the state government was not implementing the scheme in the true spirit.
“Genuine labourers are not getting employment while huge amounts are being siphoned off,” Mr. Modhwadia told reporters, after Congress leaders met Prime Minister at circuit house.
The Congress leaders also requested the Prime Minister to provide additional assistance for completion of the canal network of the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Project (SSNP).
“The Gujarat government is going slow on completing the 82,000 km canal network. We have requested the PM to allocate more funds from the Accelerated Irrigation Development Scheme of the Central government,” Mr. Modhwadia said.
Mr. Modhwadia said he also raised the issue of implementation of Forest Rights Act, as tribals were not being allocated lands as the Act envisages, as well as the issue of pollution in coastal areas due to rapid industrialisation, which is affecting livelihood of local fishermen.
Other demands raised by Congress include establishment of independent election commission for co—operative and independent tribunals, speeding up infrastructure projects such as Vadodara—Mumbai expressway and Dandi Heritage road.
Mr. Modhwadia said the Prime Minister has assured he would take up all these issues with the departments concerned.
