Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath on Thursday claimed that Tripura had broken all the previous records in MGNREGA and refuted the allegations of work crisis in rural areas.
Briefing the media persons at the civil secretariat, he said, “as per the latest detailed government data, Tripura has reached among the few top performers of MGNREGA scheme in 11 hilly states of the country and it has already crossed all the earlier records”.
Justifying his claims, he said, Tripura has ranked second in maintaining transparency in MGNREGA works among the 11 states. In district level competition, Gomati district bagged the first rank in effective implementation of MGNREGA works.
“Moreover, Teliamura block of Khowai district also came first in successful implementation of geotagging of the under-progress works. On the other hand, Laljuri and Jamaliapara of North Tripura district bagged awards for outstanding performance in GP level implementation of MGNREGA”, he added.
According to Nath, in the 2017-18 financial year, Rs 404 crore was released against 1 crores 76 lakhs 4 thousands wage-days.
In the subsequent financial year, 2 crores 53 lakhs 9 thousands wage-days were created against which Rs 435 crore was spent.
In the next financial year (2020-21), 3 crores 44 lakhs 2 thousands man-days were created and Rs 731 crore reached to the rural masses.
In the current year, 1 crore 49 lakhs 39 thousands wage-days were created and as of now Rs 583 crore was already spent on MGNREGA, Nath said adding that the numbers said it all.
Reacting to the allegations of MGNREGA crisis raised by different political parties, Nath said, “we have maintained complete transparency while carrying out MGNREGA scheme. Due to lack of transparency the centre has declined to release Rs 100 crore during the previous Left regime and it has been later released after repeated attempts from the part of the new government”.
Nath also said, in the last four months–April, May June and July, already 1 crore 38 lakhs 90 thousands man-days were created that meanr a new record was underway.
“Even in last 20 days of August, 10 lakhs 49 thousands man-days were created and there were no dearth of work in any of the rural development blocks of the state”, he added.
