By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) job card holders in Garo Hills have got a pleasant Eid gift after the Ministry of Rural Development finally released an amount of Rs 28 crore for the beneficiaries of the centrally sponsored scheme.
Talking to The Shillong Times here on Sunday, West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Pravin Bakshi said, “There can be no better Eid gift than this for the people of this area.” According to Bakshi, the funds for the scheme from the Central Government were not forthcoming which forced the State Government to write a strong letter to the Minister of Rural Development Jairam Ramesh and accordingly the sanction was made.
Out of the 28 crore, Rs 24 crore is the pending liabilities from last year which would be released first.
The sanction has also come as major boost for those job card holders who had not received their wages since the last four months.
It may be mentioned that MGNREGA was in the news for all the wrong reasons after allegations of misappropriation of funds meant for the scheme came to fore.
Earlier, the scheme was dragged into controversy after the DC lodged an FIR against Bhupendro Koch of Marpara-B VEC, under Betasing development block for criminal conspiracy and misappropriation of MGNREGA funds.
Bakshi also informed that the amount has been distributed to VECs and many of the banks in the plain belts are working overtime to ensure that the fund reaches the card holders before Eid.