KOLKATA: Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said that the panchayati raj system should be used to keep a watch against corruption in the working of MNREGA.
”Panchayats should keep a tab on the working of MNREGA. Roads being built one season is being swept way in the next monsoon due to corruption,” he said at a Panchayati Raj Convention, organised by the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee at the Netaji Indoor Stadium.
The minister said he had seen for himself that black top of roads in West Midnapore district was missing within three years of construction under MNREGA scheme. These are the areas which the panchayat system should keep a tab on.
Mr Ramesh visited Lalgarh, Binpur, Salboni and other areas of the Maoist-hit West Midnapore yesterday.
He said while West Midnapore was one of the 60 districts across the country declared as Maoist-affected, the proposal of including Purulia and Bankura districts in the list was being considered. Mr. Ramesh also assured additional funds for rural development in West Bengal.
”I have told the West Bengal chief minister that there will be no dearth of funds for rural development,” he said. (UNI)