MGNREGA.
Credit: PTI
Bengaluru: The BJP on Monday alleged large-scale corruption and diversion of funds under MGNREGA and the 15th Finance Commission’s tied grants meant for gram panchayats (GPs), accusing the Congress government of turning the rural employment scheme into a "source of revenue".
State party general secretary P Rajeev told a press meet that massive corruption had taken place in Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) department.
"RDPR Minister Priyank Kharge is ignoring constitutional violations within his own department while frequently invoking the Constitution in public discourse. The Finance Commission grants to local bodies are of two kinds — tied (restricted) and untied (unrestricted). Tied grants are mandatorily released by the Centre to 6,000 GPs in Karnataka. Under the federal system, even a single rupee cannot be diverted from prescribed purpose. But thousands of crores of rupees were misappropriated through commission-based allocations favouring GPs represented by Congress legislators," he said.
In Hanagal taluk of Haveri district, Rajeev said funds meant for multiple GPs were arbitrarily diverted to just 24 GPs.
Noting that BJP had drawn the Centre’s attention to the matter, Rajeev warned Karnataka could be denied future grants if misuse was proven.
The BJP leader claimed that despite representations from the federation of GP presidents and members in this regard, the department commissioner issued no written response.
"Priyank Kharge has no moral authority to continue as minister. An amount of Rs 8 lakh to Rs 10 lakh has been misused per panchayat. But suspending officials for a few months and reinstating them does not help ensure accountability," said Rajeev.
Referring to a Lokayukta complaint from Raibag taluk in Belagavi district, he said fraud of Rs 10 crore to Rs 12 crore had taken place in a single GP, where bills were raised for 52 works that were never executed.
He said Rs 5.36 lakh was drawn for a waste-processing shed that was never built, and officials claimed the amount was spent on buying office ledgers.
Congress leaders were protesting against VB G RAM G, because it left no scope for scams, the BJP leader said.
"The party was indifferent to terror attacks like in Pulwama and Pahalgam, but is agitated when corruption avenues are threatened. VB G RAM G will effectively cut off their income source. Karnataka has received Rs 5.5 lakh crore under MGNREGA so far. I dare the Congress to give one example where funds were utilised in a transparent way," he said.
Schoolchildren were dressed in sarees and shown as workers. Men wearing masks posed as labourers to raise fake bills, Rajeev said, questioning why only a PDO had been suspended despite documentary evidence of fraud.