Implementation of NREGS "tardy" in TN: CAG report

Chennai (PTI): The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has come down heavily on the DMK government in Tamil Nadu for "tardy" implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) in the southern state.
In a report tabled in the state Assembly recently, the CAG said the state government was yet to frame the rules for implementing the scheme, which is the flagship programme of UPA government.
The report on the Rural Development and local administration department headed by M K Stalin was released today by Shankar Narayan, Principal Accountant General, Tamil Nadu and Puduchery.
According to the CAG report, which comes a few months ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the state had not finalised the envisaged five-year perspective plan till October 2007, though the scheme was launched in six districts of Tamil Nadu in February 2006.
The scheme aims to ensure 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every household. "Scheme funds of Rs 100.46 crore remained unutilised as on March 31, 2007 with the District co-ordinators and village panchayats as the expenditure under the scheme worked out to only 65 per cent of the funds available during 2005-07," the report said.
Further, of 6.83 lakh households provided with work in the state during 2006-07 under the scheme, only 1824 households were provided with work for 100 days, working out to a minimal 0.27 per cent.
The report further found that the unemployment allowance which has to be paid to applicants who could not be provided with work within 15 days from the date of receipt of application, was not paid in any of the sample districts, Tiruvannamalai, Cuddalore and Villupuram in this case.