NREGA scheme: More expenditure, less work By Shuchismita

Funds expended 72 percent of the total funds received, yet the works completed only 37 percent!
This feat has been accomplished by the state government in case of National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) scheme.

The official statistics maintained that the government, which is in the dock for not being able to expend the amount sanctioned under annual plan 2009-10 and the huge funds granted under Prime Minister's Reconstruction Programme (PMRP), has done "exceptionally well" in case of utilisation of funds under NREGA scheme.

Yet one smells rat only when one has a cursory glance at the yawning gap between the percentage of works completed and the whopping amount spent.

The performance graph on this account suggests that out of Rs 139.81 cr funds received from the Centre by the state government under NREGA during the current financial year, Rs 99.74 Cr funds have already been expended by the J&K Ministry for Rural Department and Panchayati Raj till ending January 2010. Thus the funds spent account for 72 percent of the total amount received so far.

83.59 lakhs mandays have been generated while 6,23,238 job cards too have been issued. During this period a total of 19618 works were taken up but only 7329 works could be completed till ending January in the current financial year, which accounts for 37 percent of the total works taken up.

Of the 22 districts of the state, Jammu districts have fared better as compared to the districts of Kashmir in terms of completion of works as well as expenditure.

Districts in Kashmir region in particular have performed disappointingly in completion of works although the expenditure has gone beyond 60 percent in majority of the cases.

Interestingly the militancy affected areas except Bandipora district have fared far better both in terms of work completion as well as expenditure in both the regions.

Leh district has attained an unenviable distinction of not even taking up any work in the current financial year under NREGA scheme although the district received Rs 1.14 Cr funds from the Centre and out of this 40.85 lakhs have been shown expended as well.
However without taking up any work, where this amount has been spent, is a challenging question to be solved.

Across the state, Kishtwar, despite being militancy infested district, has earned the top slot with 72.1 percent works completed during the current financial year with over 97 percent funds expended out of the total funds received. Second slot is captured by another militancy infested district Doda with 50.5 percent works completed by expending Rs 15.40 Cr out of Rs 16.10 Cr followed by Rajouri with 49 percent works completed by spending Rs 6.86 Cr out of Rs 8.67 Cr.

In Ramban district, 41 percent works were completed by expending Rs 8.85 Cr out of Rs 14.57 Cr.

Fifth slot has been captured by Anantnag district across the state (first in Kashmir region) with 35 percent works completed generating 3.65 lakhs mandays.

Paradoxically the worst affected district in terms of militancy in the Kashmir region Kupwara district earns the second spot in the region and sixth slot in the entire state with 34.7 works completed by expending Rs 6.45 Cr out of Rs 8.89 Cr.

Another militancy affected district Reasi has been able to complete 34 percent of works with an expenditure of Rs 3.62 Cr till ending January out of Rs 4.52 Cr funds received during the current financial year.

Interestingly among districts in Kashmir region, Shopian, which has been the most disturbed district of the state since last year on account of strikes, bandhs etc figures on the fifth spot, following Kulgam and Ganderbal, with 26.2 percent works completed with an expenditure of Rs 1.03 Cr out of Rs 2.01 Cr received. Kulgam and Ganderbal completed 33 and 28.5 percent works by spending Rs 3.47 Cr and Rs 2.42 Cr out of Rs 4.82 Cr and Rs 3.53 Cr respectively.
Kargil district completed 23.5 percent of works by expending Rs 0.91 Cr out of Rs 1.95 Cr.