Notice to Centre, states on NREGA implementation

NEW DELHI: The UPA government's pet project, National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (NREGP), came under SC's scanner on Thursday as it entertained a PIL alleging lack of transparency and accountability in implementation of projects under the scheme. A Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice M K Sharma issued notice to the Centre and all states on the allegation of petitioner NGO 'Centre for Environment and Food Security' that the merits of the scheme were being lost by its lack of transparent implementation. Appearing for the NGO, counsel Prashant Bhushan said the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), in its recent report, had pointed out several anomalies in the implementation of NREGP, especially transparency in payment of wages. He said that district level implementing authorities, like DMs should be held accountable for depositing the wage in the bank account or the post office account of the beneficiary instead of the present practice of paying wages in cash.
16 May 2008, 0357 hrs IST , TNN
THE TIMES OF INDIA