GUWAHATI, June 11 � Assam Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Rakibul Hussain has urged Union Rural Development Minister Birender Singh not to change the funding pattern under MGNREGA, reasoning that the northeastern States would not be able to bear the burden of matching share in the Centrally-sponsored schemes.
In a memorandum to the Union Minister, who was in the city for a review meeting of rural development schemes yesterday, Hussain urged him to address a number of constraints hindering smooth implementation of Centrally-sponsored projects, such as MGNREGA, IAY, RGPSA, etc.
The memorandum called for increasing the 6 per cent limit of administrative expenditure to 8 per cent, as it was inadequate for smaller States to expand and strengthen their delivery mechanism in the field.
Addressing a press conference today, Hussain said that curtailment in fund allocations meant for the rural development schemes of the State would hit the poor and middle income groups.
�Without going on a confrontation with the Union government on the 90:10 ratio, we want to lay down certain data and documents, which suggest that some major schemes would be affected due to the change in the funding pattern,� he said.
Under MGNREGA, the State received Rs 520 crore out of a total allocation of Rs 954 crore in 14-15, whereas in current fiscal Rs 197 crore has been released from the total allocation of Rs 1,230 crore. �A formal correspondence from Delhi on April 7, 2015 has also informed us that ration under MGNREGA could be 75:25,� he said.
Similarly, in the current year, Rs 432 crore has been released under IAY out of a total allocation of 864.8 crore. A letter from Joint Secretary, Government of India has informed that funding under the scheme would be in 50:50 ratio.
