The Centre has released only 20% of the fund meant for taking up schemes under NREGA in Bihar till January 25 this year and the state government has requested for Rs1760.75 crore under the head, its minister for rural development Bhagawan Singh said today.
"The Centre has given scant respect to the proper implementation of NREGA in the state," he said adding the additional money sought by the state was for the purpose of augmenting the scheme.
"The Centre is meteing out step motherly treatment to Bihar so far as implementing the NREGA and other schemes aimed at improving the lot of villagers, particularly the have-nots," he said.
The Centre had so far released Rs648.99 crore against which the state giovernment had released 80.10 crore for the implementation of NREGA schems on the basis of 90:10 share of the Centre and the state.
Singh said against Rs100 fixed for the payment to unskilled labourers, the state government was paying Rs104 per day and the state government would have a detailed discussion with the Centre regarding enhnaced rate of payment to daily wage earners.
Singh said the Bihar government has decided to construct offices across the state for proper functioning and implementation of NREGA schemes at block levels at a cost of Rs25 lakh.
Separate offices would also be opened for 'Rojgar sevaks' at the rate of Rs10 lakh in 8463 panchayats, the minister said.
Referring to Centre's help in constructing dwellings under Indira Awas Yojna (IAY), he said that the state had so far received Rs1855.39 crore for constructing the IAY units during 2009-10.
Singh said the state was yet to receive Rs10268.50 crore under the IAY scheme from the Centre for construction of houses under IAY mainly in north Bihar, affected by the Koli deluge in 2008.
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