Bihar yet to receive second instalment of central funds

PATNA: The Bihar government today said it was finding it difficult to implement central flagship schemes like the Mahatma Gandhi National Employment Guarantee Act ( MNREGA) and the Indira Avas Yojana ( IAY) for want of central funds.

"We are facing enormous difficulties in executing the MNREGA and IAY as we are yet to receive the second instalment of funds from the Centre," Rural Development Minister Nitish Kumar said told the assembly while replying to his department's budget of Rs 1790 crore for 2013-14.

"How can we meet financial obligations of panchayats for expenditure incurred on implementation of the MNREGA and the IAY if we don't receive funds from the Centre?" he asked.

He said the state government has decided to utilize funds under the schemes for creation of assets on private land and for which several departments would formulate schemes.

The MNREGA funds would also be used for construction of toilets in rural households, Mishra said.

He said that it has been decided to carry out three inspections in each panchayat to review progress under the central flagship schemes.

Similar inspections were carried out in 4670 gram panchayats and on the basis of reports, 289 MNREGA employees were sacked, 318 others charged with financial irregularities while Rs 71 lakh was recovered from them, he said.

Mishra said that the state government has decided to issue E-Shakti cards to all beneficiaries under the MNREGA over the next two years to stop pilferage.

Computers would be installed at a gram panchayat with records of MNREGA and IAY schemes of five surrounding ones for which an operator would also be deployed, he said.