Karnataka yet to recover Rs 127 crore under MGNREGA: Data

Karnataka is yet to recover at least Rs 127 crore from those responsible for irregularities under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and the dues are several years old, according to data.

Since 2017, social audits under MGNREGS have flagged irregularities worth Rs 133.73 crore against which authorities have managed to get back Rs 21.89 crore, a recovery rate of just 16%, according to data tabled by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in the legislature.

Bommai is also the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) minister.

Also, since 2010, ombudsmen under the scheme flagged frauds worth Rs 24 crore and the recovery is Rs 8.2 crore. Officials, however, specified that Karnataka had ensured 100% recovery in all “upheld” cases of irregularities.

Under the MGNREGS, social audits and ombudsmen orders flag irregularities such as low-quality works, duplication, fake bills, wrong bills and so on, the cost of which has to be recovered.

“The money is recovered from local officers, whoever was responsible for the works in question,” Commissioner for Rural Development Shilpa Nag C T told DH.

“Social audits are done by an independent directorate. Works done between April and September are audited between October and March of a financial year. Similarly, works between October and March are audited from April to September,” Shilpa explained.

“There are confirmed cases of irregularities and there are cases that are recommended for recovery. The recovery rate is 100% in confirmed cases. The rate is low when it comes to recommended cases,” Shilpa said.

Additional Chief Secretary (RDPR) L K Atheeq explained the process further: “There’s an ad hoc committee at the level of the executive officer. Panchayat development officers (PDO) explain the works under question. The committee has the power to drop cases if it is satisfied with the explanation given by the PDO.”

Under the MGNREGS, which is centrally-sponsored, wages and administrative costs are borne by the union government. Material costs are shared between the union and the state in a 75:25 ratio.

Karnataka has set a target of generating 13 crore person-days in the current fiscal. By the end of November, the state generated 9.71 crore. “Employment generation generally picks up during the last three months of the financial year,” Shilpa said.