Bureacratic delay costs Goa Rs 6 crore

Goa has to chip in Rs 6 crore from its own coffers during last financial year after the bureaucrats failed to submit the utilization certificates for National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREG).

Senior youth Congress committee leader, Ravinder Reddy, disclosing this to the media said that the centre could not release the funds as state delayed the submission of these certificates, mandatory under this scheme.

“The centre could not release a single paisa under this scheme to the government,” Reddy, who is down in Goa to oversee implementation of scheme told reporters at congress house today.

He said that the state had received Rs 6.2 crores during financial year 2008-09, which was the first year of implementation of this scheme. Goa has 20401 card holders who are given employment of 100 days annually as per the scheme.

The leader assured to take up the case with the centre to release the funds as state has already submitted the required certificates.
“We also need to follow up the funding for this financial year so that the scheme can continue benefiting people,” he added.

UPA’s flagship scheme was came under criticism in the last assembly session after main opposition BJP pointed out that the beneficiaries are not being paid by the government.

Reddy admitted that there was initial sluggishness to implement the scheme but later on took off very well afterwards when youth congress plunged into its implementation work.