About four years after its first survey on the implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in Orissa's hinterlands that showed large-scale defalcation of money, the Delhi-based NGO Centre for Environment and Food Security today in its second performance audit revealed that 67 per cent of very poor Dalit and tribal households in Orissa and UP did not get even a single day of the NREGS employment during previous one year. Besides, more than one third of extremely impoverished Dalit and tribal households in UP and Orissa remained completely out of the PDS.
In December last year, the SC hearing a civil writ petition of the NGO alleging Rs 500 crore scam in NREGS in Orissa during 2006-07 had asked why it "should not order a CBI probe into the MGNREGS pilferage in Orissa". The NGO which conducted a survey in 100 villages of six KBK (Kalahandi-Bolangir-Koraput) districts between May and June 2007, found that there was systematic plunder of poors’ right to guaranteed wage employment for 100 days and Rs 500 crore of the allocated Rs 733 crore for 2006-07 was defalcated by corrupt officials. On March 14 again, the SC asked the State government to order a CBI probe in 4 weeks or else it would be compelled to pass such a probe.
The NGO which again conducted performance audit of 10 food security and poverty alleviation schemes such as NREGS in Orissa and Uttar Pradesh during July-October 2010 through sample survey in 130 villages of 12 districts of Orissa and UP (Bundelkhand) has found that the two States hit the bottom over implementation of the schemes. The schemes audited by the NGO were Public Distribution System, Antoday Anna Yojana, National Old Age Pension Scheme, Mid Day Meals, Integrated Child Development Scheme, National Family Benefit Scheme, National Maternity Benefit Scheme, Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozagar Yojana as well as NREGS. In Orissa the NGO did its audit in Bolangir, Nuapada , Kalahandi, Ganjam , Gajapati, Sundergarh and Keonjhar while the sample districts in UP (Bundelkhand) were Chitrakoot, Banda, Mahoba, Hamirpur and Lalitpur. The questionnaire-based survey had a sample base of 3250 households of which 53.4 per cent were Dalits and 46.6 per cent tribals.
"About 77 per cent of the very poor and needy sample households in Orissa did not get even a single day of the NREGS employment during previous one year . The average NREGS employment actually provided to the surveyed households in Orissa during the previous one year was only about 4 days per household," said Parshuram Rai of CEFS Similarly, 28.3 per cent of the very poor tribal and Dalit households in Orissa said they did not have any ration card.
The status of NREGS in Nuapada and Kalahandi is worse . The average actual NREGS employment provided to per needy and eligible household in Nuapada district during previous 12 months was only 3.44 days.
Other findings of the survey are-
1. More than 28 per cent of the sample households in Orissa did not have any ration card.
2. Only 1.3 per cent of the total households said that their children were getting regular, adequate and satisfactory mid day meal in their schools. An overwhelming 73.3 per cent of the respondents said that their children were getting regular but inadequate and unsatisfactory meal in their schools.
3. The performance of ICDS in UP and Orissa is very bad . Only 0.6 per cent of the respondent households had received regular, adequate and satisfactory ICDS during previous 12 months. Local alleged that ICDS food was diverted and sold out in the black market as buffalo feed.
4. The performance of NFBS in Orissa and UP is so poor that most of the respondent households are not even aware about this scheme. Only 27 households in the total samples were found to be NFBS beneficiary . This scheme is as good as non-existent.
5. Only 4 households out of 3250 had availed NMBS benefit during previous 5 years. Only 1 household in Orissa (Bolangir) and 3 households in UP ( 2 in Mahoba and 1 in Lalitpur) had received benefit under NMBS .
6. Only 22 households in the total samples said that they had availed some benefits under SGSY. All 22 SGSY beneficiary households were from UP.
The NGO also slammed Vedanta Alumina which had promised quality mid-day meal to the children of Rajendrapur village under Lanjigarh block of Kalahandi district, but gave peanuts under ICDS scheme. "In the name of running and supporting ICDS centres, Vedanta’s contribution is only peanuts, literally and figuratively both. Sterilite/Vedanta supported ICDS centres actually get a few kilograms of Chuda(flattened rice) and groundnut every month. In other words, every child in Vedanta supported Anganvadis gets 2-3 spoons of fried chuda mixed with groundnuts. To put it in monetary terms, the Vedanta foundation’s contribution to one ICDS centre is actually not more than Rs. 10,000-12,000 annually . It is a big scam to allow Vedanta to put up huge hoardings and advertisements at the ICDS centres about their contribution in running 400 anganwadi centres in Kalahandi district for just peanuts," CEFS survey said asking "is this the kind of noon meal Vedanta is supposed to provide to these children.
The only bright spot seemed to be the performance of National Old Age Pension Scheme with 97 per cent of the NOAPS card holders admitting getting regular and full amount of pension.
The NGO in its survey however found that the implementation of these schemes was far better in Orissa than in Bundelkhand, where 63.5 per cent of these extremely poor dalit/tribal households had neither BPL nor AAY cards and, therefore had no access to PDS grain.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
In every violence donot balme naxals: Supreme Court
Mar 14,2011: Strongly disapproving the practice of blaming Naxals for every incident of violence, the Supreme Court on Monday voiced concern over private armies ruling the roost in many areas where there was 'complete lawlessness'.
"Don't call them naxals. This is the most convenient term used by the people living a convenient life to brand them and finish them.
"There are many pockets in the country where there is complete lawlessness and where parallel government runs. People are not voilent in nature but they are instigated. People do not do it on their own," the apex court observed.
The apex court made the remarks while hearing an appeal filed by West Bengal government challenging Kolkata high court order for CBI probe in Lalgarh's Netai village massacre case.
The bench referred to last week's vandalisim unleashed by agitators in the heart of Hyderabad city over the Telangana issue.
The Netai massacre on January 7, which claimed nine lives and left many others injured, was allegedly carried out by CPI(M) cadres in Lalgarh and 10 persons have been arrested so far.
Opposing the plea of the state government, the High Court Bar Association and the West Bengal Association for Democratic Rights, on whose petition the high court ordered the CBI probe, pleaded that inquiry by the central agency is needed as the Union home minister had in the past expressed concern over the law and order situation in the state.
In the last hearing, the state governemnt had assured the bench that all the accused involved in the case will be brought to justice irrespective of their political alliance. It suggested that instead of a CBI probe, the apex court could impose conditions on the CID for an effective and impartial probe into the incident.
The state government is challenging the high court order for a CBI probe, saying it had "political overtones" in it.
"Don't call them naxals. This is the most convenient term used by the people living a convenient life to brand them and finish them.
"There are many pockets in the country where there is complete lawlessness and where parallel government runs. People are not voilent in nature but they are instigated. People do not do it on their own," the apex court observed.
The apex court made the remarks while hearing an appeal filed by West Bengal government challenging Kolkata high court order for CBI probe in Lalgarh's Netai village massacre case.
The bench referred to last week's vandalisim unleashed by agitators in the heart of Hyderabad city over the Telangana issue.
The Netai massacre on January 7, which claimed nine lives and left many others injured, was allegedly carried out by CPI(M) cadres in Lalgarh and 10 persons have been arrested so far.
Opposing the plea of the state government, the High Court Bar Association and the West Bengal Association for Democratic Rights, on whose petition the high court ordered the CBI probe, pleaded that inquiry by the central agency is needed as the Union home minister had in the past expressed concern over the law and order situation in the state.
In the last hearing, the state governemnt had assured the bench that all the accused involved in the case will be brought to justice irrespective of their political alliance. It suggested that instead of a CBI probe, the apex court could impose conditions on the CID for an effective and impartial probe into the incident.
The state government is challenging the high court order for a CBI probe, saying it had "political overtones" in it.
Orissa NREGA scam: Supreme Court tightens its role
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday made it clear that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has to probe into the alleged misappropriation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) funds in Orissa.
The Centre had earlier told the Supreme Court that it is considering CBI probe into the issue but apparently had done little to address the Court's concern in last three months.
"We make it clear we are giving four weeks' time to decide. We make it clear if Centre doesn't decide we will step in", the Court said.
The court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in 2007 by an NGO Centre for Environment and Food Security alleging large-scale corruption in the implementation of the NREGA scheme. The petition had pointed out that while some states in the north-eastern and Andhra Pradesh have done a good job in implementing the rural employment scheme, the others are far behind.
On December 16 last year, while hearing the PIL, the Court had indicted both the Union and the state governments for their failure in properly executing the rural job guarantee scheme and had asked them to explain as to why a CBI probe into the fund embezzlement should not be ordered.
"We are constrained to observe that the Union of India as well as the State of Orissa, prima facie, have failed to effectively and purposefully implement the provisions of the Act," the bench had observed.
"This has resulted in the deprivation of the entitled class from getting employment and receiving the allowances due to them in terms of the statutory guarantees available to them under the Act," it had said.
Orissa to abide by SC order on MGNRGA irregularities: minister
Bhubaneswar, Mar 14 (PTI) The Orissa government today said it will abide by the Supreme Court decision regarding alleged irregularities in the implementation of the rural job guarantee scheme in the state."We will accept a CBI probe or investigation by any agency if the Supreme Court wants it," said Orissa's Panchayati Raj Minister Prafulla Samal.Panchyati Raj department is the nodal agency for the implementation of the rural job scheme under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).Claiming that the state government had taken several steps to improve the situation regarding implementation of the job scheme, Samal said besides the apex court, the state government also seeks suggestions from the public."If Supreme Court is not satisfied with our steps so far taken to improve the situation, the state government will have no hesitation to a CBI probe into the matter," Samal told reporters replying a question on the apex court's concern over the alleged misappropriation of funds under rural job scheme.Noting that the state government had appointed ombudsmen, both in district level and the state level, for proper implementation of the scheme, the minister said initial mistakes were no more found anywhere in the state.While expressing concern over the matter, the Supreme Court today indicated that it would step in if the Centre did not take any decision regarding a CBI probe. The court said this while hearing a public interest lawsuit filed in 2007 by an NGO, Centre for Environment and Food Security, alleging large-scale corruption in the implementation of the programme for rural job under MGNREGA.Reports of CAG as well as of National Institute of Rural Development show misappropriation of funds allegedly by officials and functionaries of the implementation agencies, resulting in diversion of funds, the court observed.
The Centre had earlier told the Supreme Court that it is considering CBI probe into the issue but apparently had done little to address the Court's concern in last three months.
"We make it clear we are giving four weeks' time to decide. We make it clear if Centre doesn't decide we will step in", the Court said.
The court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in 2007 by an NGO Centre for Environment and Food Security alleging large-scale corruption in the implementation of the NREGA scheme. The petition had pointed out that while some states in the north-eastern and Andhra Pradesh have done a good job in implementing the rural employment scheme, the others are far behind.
On December 16 last year, while hearing the PIL, the Court had indicted both the Union and the state governments for their failure in properly executing the rural job guarantee scheme and had asked them to explain as to why a CBI probe into the fund embezzlement should not be ordered.
"We are constrained to observe that the Union of India as well as the State of Orissa, prima facie, have failed to effectively and purposefully implement the provisions of the Act," the bench had observed.
"This has resulted in the deprivation of the entitled class from getting employment and receiving the allowances due to them in terms of the statutory guarantees available to them under the Act," it had said.
Orissa to abide by SC order on MGNRGA irregularities: minister
Bhubaneswar, Mar 14 (PTI) The Orissa government today said it will abide by the Supreme Court decision regarding alleged irregularities in the implementation of the rural job guarantee scheme in the state."We will accept a CBI probe or investigation by any agency if the Supreme Court wants it," said Orissa's Panchayati Raj Minister Prafulla Samal.Panchyati Raj department is the nodal agency for the implementation of the rural job scheme under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).Claiming that the state government had taken several steps to improve the situation regarding implementation of the job scheme, Samal said besides the apex court, the state government also seeks suggestions from the public."If Supreme Court is not satisfied with our steps so far taken to improve the situation, the state government will have no hesitation to a CBI probe into the matter," Samal told reporters replying a question on the apex court's concern over the alleged misappropriation of funds under rural job scheme.Noting that the state government had appointed ombudsmen, both in district level and the state level, for proper implementation of the scheme, the minister said initial mistakes were no more found anywhere in the state.While expressing concern over the matter, the Supreme Court today indicated that it would step in if the Centre did not take any decision regarding a CBI probe. The court said this while hearing a public interest lawsuit filed in 2007 by an NGO, Centre for Environment and Food Security, alleging large-scale corruption in the implementation of the programme for rural job under MGNREGA.Reports of CAG as well as of National Institute of Rural Development show misappropriation of funds allegedly by officials and functionaries of the implementation agencies, resulting in diversion of funds, the court observed.
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