Bhubaneswar: The Orissa government has
given its consent for a CBI inquiry into the alleged
multi-crore rural job scam under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
"We have given consent for a CBI probe into the
alleged irregularities under MGNREGA," chief secretary B K
Patnaik said.
He said the ministry of rural development had asked
the state government to give its consent on a specific format
before a notification was issued in this regard.
"We will do what is required," the chief secretary
said.
The state government, which was initially reluctant to
hand over investigation of the rural job scam under MGNREGA to
CBI, agreed to allow the CBI for conducting probe after the
Centre on April 11 informed the Supreme Court that it has
decided to order the country`s premier investigating agency to
inquire into alleged embezzlement of funds.
Earlier, the Apex Court had asked Orissa government to
explain as to why it had not implemented the guidelines issued
by Centre for implementation of MNREGA. The court also
expressed its displeasure over misappropriation of funds meant
for MNREGA in Orissa.
While favouring a CBI probe into the rural job scam in
the state, Supreme Court took into consideration reports from
Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) and National
Institute of Rural Development (NIRD).
Both CAG and NIRD had reported that there was
misappropriation of funds to the tune of 88 per cent in some
districts of Orissa.
The matter relating to the rural job scam in the state
came to the light by a New Delhi-based NGO Centre for
Environment and Food Security which apprised Apex Court
through a PIL in 2007.
The NGO alleged that there was misappropriation of
funds between 53 per cent to 88 per cent in district of
Kalahandi, Keonjhar, Naurangpur, Bolangir, Raygada, Malakagiri
and Koraput.
PTI
