Chandigarh, August 21:
While terming the allegations politically motivated, Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Punjab Mr. Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa lashed back on Sukhbir and said that there is no iota of truth in his claims regarding 1,000 crore Rupees scam in MGNREGA scheme. The cabinet minister said that their government has ensured proper utilization of funds under the scheme for the development of villages which has forced the SAD president to issue such false statements to halt the works for his political benefits only.
The Panchayat minister said that the wrongdoings and anti-people decisions of Sukhbir Singh Badal and his party leaders have ousted them from the political scenario of Punjab and now riding on these political stunts, wanted to discontinue the scheme with the help of his alliance with central government. Mr. Bajwa cautioned him to stop putting obstacles in the welfare of Punjabis as his false allegations could cost dear to 2.5 lakh needy families out of which 68 percent are Dalits.
Mr. Tripat Rajinder Bajwa said that Sukhbir Badal has labeled allegations of corruption of Rs. 1,000 crore but he was not aware that the government has sanctioned budget of Rs. 800 crore under MGNREGA for this year. He added that out of total budget, only Rs. 390 crore have been spent and till the formation of government in Punjab in 2017, they had spent only Rs 520 crore on material.
“I want to ask Sukhbir, if a government had spent only 520 crore rupees than how the figure of scam could touch 1,000 crore. Sukhbir is holding responsible position and it not good for a responsible figure to spread rumors for his personal benefits,” Mr. Bajwa added.
He informed that under MGNREGA scheme, 60 percent grant could be used for labor and rest 40 percent could be used for material and till now their government has utilized 22 percent funds reserved for material purchase. He also cleared that for the payments of labour, the union government directly transfers the amount in the bank accounts of beneficiaries.
The minister informed that under MGNREGA, around 2.3 lakh workers have been given employment in Punjab and the figure was just 60,000 at the time of imposition of lockdown in the state. He added that as many as 114 lakh man-days have been generated till now.
Mr. Tripat Rajinder Bajwa claimed that during the tenure of SAD led government in Punjab in 2016-17, the budget under MGNREGA was only 531 crore Rupees but their government has set the target to increase it upto 1,500 crores.
