1,97,287 incomplete MGNREGA works since inception in Assam

Not a single penny spent on 17,111 MGNREGA works for 12 years

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: Startling is the fact that incomplete MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) works in Assam till the first week of December this year are as huge as 1,97,287. This is a cumulative figure since fiscal 2006-07 when the Act was introduced.

What is even more startling is that not a single penny has been spent on as many as 17,111 of the works since their inception. Likewise, not a single penny has been spent on 17,839 works for the past three years, 23,077 works for the past two years and 51,558 works for the past one year. There are 1585 incomplete works with only material expenditure in the State. The nodal department for the implementation of MGNREGA works in the State is Panchayat & Rural Development (P&RD).

According to official sources, there are 10,439 incomplete works of fiscal 2015-16 and earlier; 24,910 of fiscal 2016-17; 1,14,415 of fiscal 2017-18 and 47,523 of fiscal 2018-19.

The reasons behind such a large number of works remaining incomplete, according to official sources, are – lacunae in the project reports and taking up of works more than what the P&RD can do. “Following a directive from the government, we took up 1,22,348 works in fiscal 2017-18 alone, but we could complete only 7933 of them. The 1,14,415 incomplete works of that fiscal create trouble for us. We’re laying stress on incomplete works now,” an official of the department said.

The official further said: “In fiscal 2018-19, 48,007 works under the scheme have been started. However, till December 1 this year, only 484 works have been completed, thus registering a completion rate of 1.01 per cent. This is against 6.48 per cent rate of completion of works in fiscal 2017-18, 54.43 per cent in fiscal 2016-17 and 95.47 per cent in 2015-16.”

Also read: MGNREGA is Worst in Fiscal 2018-19 with a Completion Rate