Delay in release of NREGA funds

JORHAT, March 4: The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) – 2005, a much awaited act provided by the Central Government to implement throughout the country for 100 days job guarantee of the rural unemployed peoples. The act is implemented in Asom as a scheme titled ‘National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme’ (NREGS) as well as in other states of the country.But although this scheme was implemented, there has some reports about the failure of this scheme in the rural pockets of the state particularly in the Jorhat district. People here have expressed their strong resentment about the inordinate delay of releasing of funds for which many Gaon Panchyats has been paralysed for a couple of months. It may be mentioned here that, the NREGS funds for the session 2008-09 has not been released till date. Sources said that, in the entire state only two districts namely –– Golaghat and Chirang has been able to get the funds of 2008-09 session with the estimated cost of Rs 39.5 crore and Rs 19 crore respectively till date.Meanwhile, after the announcement of dates of the general election-2009 and the rainy seasons coming, the whole process seems to makes blur which turns a serious cause for concern among the rural people.