Meghalaya will set up an agency to ensure there is no delay in payment of wages under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). "The State Rural Agency of Meghalaya (SRAM) would be responsible in ensuring there is smooth flow of fund in the implementation of the MGNREGA in the state. We have approved the proposal submitted by the Community and Rural Development (C&RD) development for constituting of the SRAM in the state," Chief Minister Mukul Sangma told reporters after a cabinet meeting.
"This is basically to ensure that under the MGNREGA, there is no delay in release of the funds by the respective deputy commissioners and subsequently to the respective blocks for payment of wages to the beneficiaries," he said.
Agreeing that there has been delay in the payment of wages to the beneficiaries under MGNREGA, the chief minister said, "the agency will try to address other loopholes dogging the implementation of the scheme".
The SRAM would also look into the overall aspects of the MNREGA, including examining the various allegations on misappropriation of funds while implementing this scheme.