Promising full support to the state, Jairam Ramesh said that he told Akhilesh Yadav that though they are political rivals on the issue of rural development, they would work together.
Renewing his demand for a CBI probe into implementation of MNREGA in UP, Union Minister Jairam Ramesh today asked Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to send a "strong message" that the new government would not tolerate corruption or scams.
"I have requested Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to recommend CBI probe into the implementation of MNREGA scheme specially in these three districts (Gonda, Balrampur and Sonbhadra) where largescale misappropriation has come to light," the Union Minister for Rural Development told reporters here after meeting the chief minister.
The CAG audit is on in 12 states which would be completed in seven to eight months' time but it would be better not to wait till then and the chief minister has said that he would look into it soon, Ramesh said.
"Though it is difficult to find out how much of the Rs 6500 to Rs. 7000 crores spent in UP under the scheme has gone with whom, it should be accepted that scams have taken place," the minister said, adding that in a letter written earlier to the state government he had given examples of how funds have been misappropriated in various districts.
Promising full support to the state, he said that he told Yadav that though they are political rivals but on the issue of rural development, they would work together.
He, however, added that no political meaning should be derived from it as "this cooperation" was "just an indication that UPA government does not discriminate with non-Congress ruled states and charges to this effect are unfounded and false".
Though some good work has also been done under the MNREGA, he said, "in UP there is an atmosphere that there are scams all around and it has to be ensured that its funds are not misused by the sarpanchs in buying Boleros."
"A CBI probe will send a strong message that the new UP government would not tolerate corruption or scams," Ramesh said.
The minister said that in order to check siphoning of funds in future measures such as CAG audit and social audit were being put into force to act as deterrent.
"The chief minister asked for utilising MNREGA for flood control specially in the Terai and eastern regions facing the problem every year and I have assured him that a team would be sent for the same soon," he said.
Stressing that he was not responsible for the "communication gap" with the previous Mayawati government, Ramesh said that no one from the state had met him during his ten months' stint as the rural development minister.
To a question, the minister said that the chief minister did not raise any demand for the unemployment allowance which has been promised by the ruling Samajwadi Party in the recent elections.
Rejecting the BSP government's charge of lack of cooperation from the Centre, Jairam Ramesh said that UP was the only state to make a complaint of this nature .
"Delay in release of funds, if any, had been because the state did not send the utilisation certificate or the audit report which was required," the minister said, adding that no proposal from UP was pending with his ministry.
"As environment minister, projects worth Rs 2000 crore were sanctioned for Varanasi, Allabahad and Kanpur overlooking the fact that the then chief minister did not attend meetings convened by the prime minister," he said.
Besides apprising the chief minister of the views of MPs from UP, he said he discussed issues such as PMGSY, MNREGA, potable water and revision of the BPL list in his meeting.
"I have asked for sending proposals for linking 1800 bastis under the PMGSY as well as upgradation of the roads while laying emphasis on maintaining quality of works besides finding out the shortcomings in the implementation of MNREGA in UP like dismal women participation rate in the state which stood at 22 per cent," he said.
Sounding upbeat on the hike in budget allocation for potable water and sanitation, Ramesh said that he has sought projects also for regions having arsenic and floride contaminated water which claim several lives annually.
For providing better sanitation and toilets specially for women, Jairam said that he made a proposal under the Nirmal Gram Panchayat scheme for which the chief minister showed great enthusiasm and promised to work as brand ambassador for promoting the issue so that people can utilise government subsidy extended for sanitation works.
The chief minister has also instructed the officials to complete survey work for revision of BPL list in the state by June end so that a new BPL list be prepared by September-October.
"UP is the only state where this work of survey for BPL list and caste survey has not started," he said.
Regretting that there had been no communication with the state during his stint as rural development minister, Ramesh said that the new chief minister has expressed desire for regular talks so as to have a better coordination and promised that meetings would be held every two months for reviewing the schemes.
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