No social audit was conducted for a whopping 99% of the works under the scheme in 2014-15, which is the worst record in this regard across the country, finds the report submitted to the Union government in April this year.
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has nailed the Maharashtra government on the poor social audit of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in its latest report.
No social audit was conducted for a whopping 99% of the works under the scheme in 2014-15, which is the worst record in this regard across the country, finds the report submitted to the Union government in April this year.
Worse, there was no evidence of physical verification of the work sites, notes the CAG report. Bihar, Assam, UP, Gujarat and Tripura also failed to produce physical verification of work sites to the auditors.
Moreover, Maharashtra is one among eight states in the country that don't have an independent body or directorate to evaluate the implementation of the scheme. Instead, the rural development department, which implements the scheme, is evaluating its own work.
This is a clear violation of the MGNREGS Audit of Scheme Rules 2011, stipulated by the Centre four years ago with an objective to bring transparency and accountability in the implementation of the scheme. The rules say that social audit units may either be a society, directorate or cell independent of implementing departments and agencies.
Interestingly, the Centre offers financial and physical support for the establishment of the social audit body and also for the strengthening of the resources. However, the state preferred not to seek help. The report says that Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Telangana and UP have independent cells, with a full-time director, for MGNREGS auditing.
The auditors found only 51% of social audit coverage in 25 states. While Assam, Punjab and Tripura top the chart with 100% social audit of MGNREGS works, Odisha, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Uttrakhand and Rajasthan also have a good record, with more than 95% coverage of the scheme audit. On the other hand, Maharashtra, MP, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Chhattisgarh have the worst records, with less than 10% of the audit being completed.
Pankaja Munde Palwe, the rural development minister of Maharashtra, remained unavailable for comment.
In the last three years (2012-15), Rs1,14,155 crore was incurred on MGNREGS across India. However, charges of irregularities and corruption are rampant in most states, including Maharashtra.
Mahesh Raut, a social activist from Gadchiroli, said: "The scheme needs an independent and fair social audit mainly because it is a highly mismanaged one, especially in the case of Maharashtra. The government not only needs to set up a strong and independent body, but also needs to fix accountability and take action against those responsible for the mess."
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