Bengaluru: The Karnataka government, which is facing acute shortage of funds to take up the flood relief works is further hit by the delay in the release of Rs.2,784 crores from the central government under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme.
The state government is waiting for Rs.803 crores of 2018-19 also adding to its miseries. If sources are to be believed, the central government is reluctant to release the amount citing technical issues.
Sources in the state Rural Development and Panchayat Raj department confirmed the delay. According to the authorities, due to this delay, the workers have not been paid their wages for the last three months.
According to the sources, under the MGNREGA, target fixed for the state is to generate 5 lakh jobs every day, but presently only 1.6 lakh jobs are being created.
“On October 20, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has written a letter to Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman seeking early release of the funds, but the union government is delaying the release of the funds, seeking more and more clarifications,” explained sources.
“The state government is facing a severe fund crunch to take up flood relief works. Now this delay is further worsening the situation,” he concluded.
