During the last five years, the utilisation of funds under NREGA has been the highest during 2014-15 when Rs 48,000 crore were utilised
In the midst of a race for claiming credit for Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the BJP on Tuesday said the party has brought "transformation" and "transparency" in the rural job scheme that saw the highest utilisation of funds and women participation during 2014-15.
BJP also claimed that corruption was weeded out from the scheme and new assets were created in agriculture and allies areas.
The party said that 94% of beneficiaries under MGNREGA have received money directly into their bank accounts.
"During the last five years, the utilisation of funds under NREGA has been the highest during 2014-15 when Rs 48,000 crore were utilised. There has also been the highest ever women participation in the scheme during the year when their number rose to 57% as against 53% previous year," BJP national Secretary Siddharth Nath Singh said.
Attacking Congress over the scheme, he alleged the previous government failed to implement the scheme that saw "wasteful" expenditure and "lack" of transparency.
"We had criticised the scheme during Congress rule as the scheme lacked transparency and there was wasteful expenditure due to improper implementation. No assets were created either. During our tenure, we have been able to overcome the shortcomings and 64% of the money spent has gone towards creating assets in agriculture and allied sectors," he said.
Singh also said that 94% of the beneficiaries under the scheme have received their wages directly into their bank accounts under Direct Benefit Transfer, largely due to the success of Jan Dhan scheme.
Rejecting government's claim of having brought a "transformation" in NREGA, Congress on Tuesday attacked it for praising UPA's flagship rural job scheme in a "characteristic U-turn" and alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was eroding the effectiveness of the welfare effort.
Leading the charge, Rahul Gandhi mocked Modi saying his government's praise is a "shining example" of PM's "political wisdom" while former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh alleged that there was an attempt to "kill the soul and spirit" of NREGA.
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