Question : EXPENDITURE OF MATERIAL UNDER MGNREGS

(a) the total amount spent by each State on purchasing materials for the works to be carried out under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in the country during each of the last four years and the current year;

(b) the total amount spent on wages of the workers under MGNREGS during the said period, State-wise;

(c) the number of villages where misappropriation of MGNREGS funds were detected during the said period, State-wise; and

(d) the action taken/proposed to be taken by the Government in this regard?

MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI PRADEEP JAIN `ADITYA`)

(a) & (b): In accordance with para 9 of Schedule-I of MGNREGA, the cost of material component of the projects taken up under the Act shall not exceed 40% of the total cost. Cost of material component includes wages paid to semi-skilled and skilled workers also.State-wise details of expenditure on wages paid to unskilled workers and expenditure towards material component for the years 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10(up to Jan., 2010) is given in the Annexure-I.

(c) & (d): A total of 330 complaints regarding misappropriation of MGNREGS funds have so far been received in the Ministry. State-wise details are given in Annexure-II As implementation of MGNREGA is done by the State Governments, all complaints received by the Ministry are sent to the concerned State Governments for enquiry and taking action in accordance with the provisions of the Act. In some specific complaints, the Ministry also deputes National Level Monitors for investigations.