TDP MPs complain to Centre on State govt over NREGS bills

New Delhi: TDP MPs Galla Jayadev and Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar here on Sunday submitted a memorandum to Union minister for rural development Narendra Singh Tomar, sought Centre's intervention in sustaining the MGNREGS programme in Andhra Pradesh by making it release payments for the works undertaken under the programme in the past.

Accusing the state government of holding back the payment of the bills despite Centre releasing Rs 1,845 crore for the current year with a promise to release the pending funds, if any, soon, the MPs said the state government was supposed to release its share of Rs 615 crore which it had not done so far.

They said some of the departments had gone on record in stating that they could not participate in the convergence programme due to the delay in payment of material component bills by the state government.

For example, they pointed out that the forest department had stated that they could not undertake any works due to the same. They pleaded with the minister to ensure rural development by intervening as the state government's attitude was harmful to the state.

In the last five years, several developmental works had been undertaken under the programme which included 26,000 cement roads, 6,000 anganwadi centres, 2,200 panchayat buildings and 10,000 solid waste management centres.

Further, 12,000 km road connectivity was provided to villages. All these made AP bag several awards every year. The bristling pace of development must not be allowed to be halted, they pleaded.