Pravin Kumar
Ranchi, Nov. 1: The Central government’s major rural employment scheme Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee ACT, 2005 (MGNREGA), which provides employment in villages is facing a money crisis as 97.51% of the fund money was spent and the dues reached to 21551.48 lakh.
Despite having more than five months left in the current financial year, about 21 states and Union Territories are running out of MGNREGA funds. Due to the exhaustion of funds, the problem of lakhs and crores of laborers across the country is going to increase. On the other hand, the data of NREGASoft shows that says that during the financial year 2021-22 till 31st October, 200853.79 lakh rupees were spent against the availability of Rs 1,95,893.87 lakh.
However, during the current financial year till October 31, more than Rs 21,551.48 lakh is outstanding on account of salary payment, material and administrative expenses, which has not been paid yet. The fund has been exhausted during the half period of the current financial year. In Jharkhand also 97.51 percent of the total fund has been utilized.
Status of MGNREGA payment in the state
The total number of job cards issued in the state is 111.35 lakh. In which the number of active job cards is 34.05 lakh i.e. 44 lakh 1 thousand 682 people work in the state under MGNREGA scheme for their livelihood through 34.05 lakh job cards. These laborers will have to face the crisis of payment of wages in the coming time as the state got Rs 200853.79 lakh as total MGNREGA fund in the current financial year, in which 1,95,893.87 lakhs have been spent till 31 October. Whereas on October 31, the amount due for payment has reached 21551.48 lakh. Interestingly, since October 25, Fund Release Order FTO, has not been issued in the state. This simply means that in the coming days the wage payment of MGNREGA workers is in trouble. Around 34.05 lakh families will have to go through the wage payment crisis.
Crisis of employment will arise in the coming time
The number of workers actively working under MGNREGA schemes in the state is 44 lakh 01 thousand 682. In the coming time, there will be a crisis of employment in front of them. In the current financial year, MGNREGA workers were paid their wages after about 4 months in the month of September. After this, the amount of skilled labor and material items has been paid. Whereas after October 11, the amount of wages and material items has not been paid. At the same time, since October 25, Fund Release Order (FTO) has not been issued. The total arrears of MGNREGA scheme have gone up to Rs 2292.03 lakh till 31st October.
21 states and union territories out of MGNREGA fund
According to the report of The Hindu, the budget of MGNREGA for the financial year 2021-22 was fixed at 73,000 crores. While allocating the budget, the central government had argued that the lockdown in the country was almost over. Therefore, if the allocated budget is completely spent in the middle, then supplementary budgetary allocation will be made available.
Till October 29, the entire expenditure of MGNREGA has reached Rs 79,810 crore, in which payment of remaining salary is also included. The condition of MGNREGA funds of 21 states is not good. In which the situation of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal is the worst.
