CAG finds Rs 13,000 cr hole in UPA's MNREGA scheme

The Comptroller and Auditor General has reportedly found Rs 13,000 crore worth of irregularities in the UPA government's biggest cash-for-work welfare scheme MNREGA.According to Times Now, in a report tabled in Parliament today, the CAG has said that there are irregularities in the completion of projects and allocation of projects under the scheme.The CAG has said that Rs 6,500 crore has been spent on projects that haven't been created in the manner that they should have been, reported the channel.[caption id="attachment_720895" align="alignleft" width="380"] Reuters[/caption]The CAG, which has audited 14 states over 2007-12, has also said projects have not been completed even after spending Rs 4,000 crore over five years, it reported.According to CNN-IBN, in 14 states there were 129 lakh projects worth over Rs 1.26 lakh crore that were approved. Of this, only 30 percent has been completed.And a whopping Rs 2,252 crore was spent on projects that should not have been taken up under MNREGA, the auditor has noted, according to the reports.Other findings:- Bihar, Maharashtra and UP, where 46% of the poor live, used up only 20 percent of funds.- The highest number of ghost workers, that is workers who exist only on paper, was to be found in Karnataka, over 1,600. Total ghost workers found in 8 states is 1,932.- Misappropriation of funds was the highest in Assam.- Job cards not issued in over 12,000 households- Delayed payment to workers but no compensation paid.- Incorrect maintainance of records in up to 54 percent of gram panchayats.- The report finds Block Development Officers issued cheques in their own names.- The report concludes that monitoring by the centre is unsatisfactoryThe MNREGA has been the UPA's flagship welfare scheme that guarantees 100 days of work per rural household in a year. While there have been reports of irregularities in the funds being disbursed and the projects being done, the CAG's report could be an embarrassment  for the UPA government.