IMPHAL: In view of the Yaoshang festival and the closure of the financial year, the Manipur Government has released Rs 406.49 crore for payment of MGNREGS wages.
With this amount, the State Government has fully released the whole amount of Rs 756 crore sanctioned by the Central Government.
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The Ministry of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj sanctioned Rs 756 crore under MGNREGS for the State of Manipur in June last year.
The amount was meant to pay liabilities of 2021-22 and take up new works in 2022-23, sources informed.
The amount of Rs 406.49 crore released by the State Government today included Rs 31.35 crore for Bishnupur, Rs 9.76 crore for Chandel, Rs 53.10 crore for Churachandpur, Rs 67.20 crore for Imphal East, Rs 38.36 crore for Imphal West, Rs 12 crore for Jiribam, Rs 19.27 crore for Kakching, Rs 11.30 crore for Kamjong, Rs 22.83 crore for Kangpokpi, Rs 11.36 crore for Noney, Rs 6.55 crore for Pherzawl, Rs 34.18 crore for Senapati, 11.20 crore for Tamenglong, Rs 27.04 crore for Tengnoupal, Rs 25.56 crore for Thoubal and Rs 25.38 crore for Ukhrul.
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Even though the Central Government sanctioned Rs 756 crore in June last year, the State Government was releasing Rs 100 crore to 150 crore in phased manner on account of its unsound financial condition, said the sources.
As the sanction was not fully utilised, the Ministry of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj did not release funds for the MGNREGS material component.
However, as the State Government has fully released the sanctioned amount of Rs 756 crore, the fund for material component is likely to be released after the submission of the utilisation certificate, said the sources.
As the sanctioned amount of Rs 756 crore should be utilised before the end of the current financial year, the State Government, despite its financial constraints, released the remaining amount of Rs 406.49 crore so that utilisation certificate can be submitted before the closure of the financial year and the material component can be obtained without hassles, added the sources.
The amount for the material composition can be between Rs 350 crore and Rs 400 crore and it is likely to be sanctioned within the current month, the sources said.
Even though the works of 2021-22 had been completed, the same works are reflected as ongoing in the MIS as the wages and funds for material components were not released fully and it posed serious hurdles in taking up new works in 2022-23.
As a result, the MGNREGS job card holders are not able to work for a greater number of days, according to the sources.