Bengaluru: The Centre has not yet reimbursed the state for the Rs 1193 crore it has spent under the MGNREGA scheme, according to Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister, Krishna Byregowda.
Speaking to reporters at a review meeting of his department, he said the Chief Minister intended to write to the Prime Minister, requesting him to release the money immediately.
As the Union government had delayed payment under the scheme last year, the state government had stepped in to pay what was due under its Job Guarantee scheme, but had not been reimbursed so far, he explained.
The Centre already owed the state Rs 250 crore under the same scheme and had to make another payment of Rs 320 crore towards the material supplied under it, the Minister said.
Revealing that his department had set a target of creating 8.5 crore man days under the Job Guarantee scheme, he said owing to lax officials the initial month’s target could not be achieved, but during the last five months, 62 per cent of the target had been met and the full target would be achieved by the year end.
As the state was reeling under a drought once again, the state government would set a target of creating 10 crore man days under the scheme next year. “These jobs will be aimed at creating assets like school buildings and other public utility works,” Mr Byregowda explained.
He said the government had cleared spending Rs 1700 crore on providing drinking water to the over 100 drought-hit taluks and the Zilla Panchayats had been directed to issue work orders for these programmes before Deccember 31 and complete the work by March 31.
Although the state had been declared open –defecation free, there were 4.5 lakh fresh applications for building toilets, which the department would soon address, he added.
