MGNREGA fund issue
Dimapur, April 16 (EMN): In the backdrop of allegations of nepotism and favouritism against the principal secretary of Rural Development department, the Dimapur District VDB Secretaries’ Association (DDVDBSA) has expressed support for the officer, testifying that the funds that were received were according to approved labour budget. In the wake of the allegations, the association held an emergency meeting on April 14. They deliberated on the issue of alleged misuse of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) funds by the principal secretary. The association informed to have resolved to examine and ‘unearth the truth.’ After thorough examination the association said to have found that there were 1, 820 active job card holders in the village and that the village had received the funds in accordance with the approved labour budget. The association observed that ‘the village could even receive more than what was received in the recent release of MGNREGA funds if the labour budget was approved.’ The association’s secretary Thrilongse Sangtam, in a press statement, stated that there was no question of unfair means or nepotism in the allocation of the funds to Kuda (Nagarjan) village by the principal secretary of said department. The association clarified that the MGNREGA was a demand-driven scheme and according to ‘laid down norms,’ funds can be shifted from one block to another or from one village to another village if there is genuine demand. “There is no uniformity in the allocation of funds and the fund varies from village to village as per the approved labour budget. Therefore, the variation in the allocation of fund should not be confused or be viewed as an unfair means as the system is laid down in the norms of the scheme,” the association’s release stated. The VDB association added a word for the political party which had levelled allegations against the principal secretary: whatever money had been put in Kuda (Nagarjan) village was not for personal purpose but for the development of the village / community. There is no point in targeting a particular person or making it a personal issue as the officer in concern was only carrying out duties within norms of the Act, the association stated. The organisation added that there was no question of the principal secretary implementing or allocating the funds according to own whims and fancy as alleged: the funds were found to be released in accordance with the approved labour budget, it was stated. The association stated that since from the inception of VDB in the year 1980, no political party had played ‘blame game or obstructed the functioning of the VDBs and it has been instrumental in carrying out various developmental activities without any hurdles from any political parties.’ The group claimed that the recent incident was the first of its kind in which a political party had involved and had accused an officer with charges of favouritism and nepotism ‘which when inspected found out to be without any basis or truth.’ The association has urged the party in concern to refrain from hindering the department in carrying out its duties but to allow it to undertake work in accordance with the norms and guidelines of the scheme. The VDB association has requested political parties ‘not to fight over or politicise the MGNREGA schemes as it is the only scheme that reaches to the grass roots level and have been implemented to uplift the living standard of the rural poor.’ It rather urged them to focus on other more important issues that are troubling the Naga society.