Jammu and Kashmir: Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) aimed at welfare of rural masses through Panchayati Raj system but has proved to be a house of mess. As per the data issued by the government indicates that for the year 2011-12 for Kashmir division 81.9% funds were spent against 59.0% works done and for year 2012-13 about 69.7 % funds were spent for only 55.6% works done. For the Jammu division amount spent in year 2011-12 was about 88% and the works done approximately worth 78%. Similarly, for the year 2012-13 about 66% funds were spent against 48% works done through out the state.
In one of the blocks of Jammu namely block Balwal, for the year 2011-12 about 99% funds were spend and in the year 2012-13 about 69 % funds were exhausted as per the government data. But looking a ground reality the story is entirely different. According to Panch Ram Paul of Balwal block about 90 % works are incomplete and only 10% works have been completed in the year 2011-12. He said that the productivity was poorer for the year 2012-13, as all works taken up were lying incomplete.
“There is not availability of cement in the time of need. Sanctions for concrete works are being denied by officers for the reasons only known to them. There are no payments for works completed. Village workers and engineers are self made bosses. It seems as if MGNREGA is meant for them and not for the rural poor masses”, Paul said adding that all decisions are taken by government machinery and Panches are not even told about the works available in their respective areas.
MGNREGA was not launched just to provide job days to rural masses but had political implications also to which government in coalition has failed miserably to cash, a senior politician said on the conditions of anonymity. He said that it would have been election winning formula for Congress across country and National Conference-Congress coalition in J&K but making its mockery by creating mess in it implementation with good faith, they have lost the credibility as well as chance to exploit this scheme for their gains.