Coming to the rescue of the rural poor, the State government has agreed again to release ₹649.73 crore as advance towards the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme as the Centre had not given the required fund. With this, the advance released by State has reached ₹1,234.37 crore, said a statement from the Chief Minister’s office.
Under MNREGA, the Government of India has to release grants for the wage component. However, this is not done on time and the State government is pitching in to ensure the rural poor are not hit. So far, the State government’s additional grant of ₹1,273.96 crore is towards the wage component as well as material component. The Government of India has so far released only ₹815.36 crore directing the State government to make adjustment of ₹688.95 crore. Only ₹166.02 crore has been released for the current financial year.
As the delay in release of grants is causing burden to the State’s finances, the State government urged the Centre to release the pending amount and in future release grants on time, the statement added.