AGARTALA, Aug 25 - The much-touted MGNREGA programme has suffered a serious setback due to fund crunch in Tripura.
The Centre had sanctioned Rs 177 crore for the State in the first installment during the current financial year, but the entire amount was meant for �material component�.
According to the ratio the State should have been allocated Rs 120 crore for creating mandays but it has received only Rs 40 crore.
Disclosing this to the media, Minister for Rural Development Naresh Jamatia said that Centre�s inaction on the issue was creating massive problems for the poor people of the State as they can�t be given work or a source of earning. �We are now trying to give at least 20 days work before �Durga Puja� which would not require any material component; of course we will keep on raising the issue with the Centre for due sanction of funds�, said Jamatia on Saturday.
Criticising the Centre�s move for slashing MGNREGA outlay, Jamatia alleged the BJP-led Government has been trying to stop the world�s largest job generating programme as part of its agenda to weaken the poor people. �The BJP-led Government has been trying to safeguard the interest of the corporate sector at the cost of poor people�, he alleged.
