AP promises HC to clear job works bills of Rs 400 crore once Centre releases funds

Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh government has informed the high court that it has cleared the pending bills of works taken up under the MGNREGS worth Rs 1,100 crore and promised to clear the remaining Rs 400 crore once the Centre releases the funds.

A division bench headed by Chief Justice AK Goswami and Justice Jayasuriya held the hearing on Wednesday.

Special government pleader Sumon submitted that out of a total due of Rs 1,500 crore to be paid for the works taken up under the job scheme, they had already cleared bills for Rs 1,100 crore; and that only Rs 400 crore remained to be paid.

Assistant solicitor general Harinath submitted that after examining the bills submitted by the state government, the Centre might release nearly Rs1,100 crore for job works by the end of September.

Thereon, the court asked for submission of details.

Three senior IAS officers -- panchayat raj principal secretary Gopal Krishna Dwivedi, its commissioner Girija Sankar and finance principal secretary S.S. Rawat --were present in the court during the hearing. The court gave them exemption from appearance in the court in the further hearings of the case.