State seeks job scheme funds

The State government has urged the Union government to immediately release Rs 500 crore under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS).

Addressing a press conference on Saturday, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister H K Patil said the delay in release of funds has adversely impacted the implementation of programmes under the scheme. He said the State has been allotted Rs 3,154 crore during 2014-15. Of this, Rs 1,905 crore has been released.

Patil did not offer any direct reply when asked whether it was a politically motivated decision not to release money. “I am not attributing it to any such reason. But MNREGS is an important programme and the Centre should not neglect it. Under the programme, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh have received sufficient funds. All states should be equally treated,” he said.

Patil said he was thinking of taking an all-party delegation to Delhi to request the Centre to release the funds.