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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Centre decrees: CBI will probe any NREGS fraud by Maulshree Seth

Centre decrees: CBI will probe any NREGS fraud by Maulshree Seth

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published Published on Mar 12, 2011   modified Modified on Mar 12, 2011
In a move likely to raise the hackles of states, the Union Ministry of Rural Development has decided that all criminal offences in the implementation of the NREGA would in future be investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), whenever the state government fails to take satisfactory action.

In a circular sent to all states on Thursday, the ministry said that in cases of system failures or non-criminal lapses, a team of ministry officials will carry out a probe.

The circular, meant for “strict compliance”, says, “In the case of investigation by the CBI, the state government should transfer the accused officers out of the area of operation of Mahatma Gandhi NREGA. In case the state government does not comply, the release of funds will be stopped.

“In case of investigation by a team of central officers, on receipt of the report, the release of funds will be stopped and the state government will be given a reasonable cure period within which they should remedy the system.”

Central funding will be restored once the Government of India is satisfied that the state government has taken appropriate remedial measures, says the circular.

The circular has been issued under Section 27 of the Mahatma Gandhi NREG Act which empowers the Government of India to issue directions to states for implementation of the scheme.

Section 27 also says that in cases of “improper utilisation of funds” granted under the MGNREG Act, the GoI, “if prima facie satisfied that there is a case, may cause an investigation into the complaint made, by any agency designated by it and, if necessary, order stoppage of release of funds”.

According to the circular, the monitoring and review of NREGS, and reports from members of the Central Employment Guarantee Council, audit teams, and national level monitors had thrown up anomalies in the implementation of the scheme.

The circular says that complaints received from independent sources would be inquired into by the GoI. If a prima facie case for further investigation is found, a statement of charges will be framed and sent to the state government “for enquiry and response within a period of two weeks”.

A screening committee at the ministry will examine the report from the state and “in case it is not found satisfactory, get the charges investigated by the CBI, where criminal intent if prima facie established, or by a team of officers of the ministry where system failure of non-criminal lapse seems to be the case”.

Sources in the Ministry said Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, Jharkhand and some other states, which had a particularly bad record in dealing with complaints of corruption and irregularities in the implementation of the job guarantee scheme, would be the first to be affected. These states had failed to take satisfactory action in cases of fraud, despite repeated reminders from the Centre.

The Indian Express, 12 March, 2011, http://www.indianexpress.com/news/centre-decrees-cbi-will-probe-any-nregs-fraud/761447/


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