The Mukul Sangma government 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 would be responsible for ensuring there is smooth flow of funds 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," chief minister Mukul Sangma told reporters after a cabinet meeting on Tuesday evening.
"This is to ensure that as part of the MGNREGA, there is no delay in release of funds by the respective deputy commissioners and subsequently to the respective blocks for payment of wages to the beneficiaries," he said. Admitting that there has been delay in payment of wages to the beneficiaries under MGNREGA, the CM said, "The agency will try to address other loopholes dogging 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. Meanwhile, the state government will impose a cess of Rs 20 on every metric tonne of cement manufactured in the state.