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Business News/ Politics / Policy/  Rs7,329 crore released for MGNREGS for 2016-17, govt tells Supreme Court
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Rs7,329 crore released for MGNREGS for 2016-17, govt tells Supreme Court

The Union government told the Supreme Court it has also disbursed Rs12,230 crore to states to clear MGNREGS wage arrears from 2015-16

The government told the apex court that 254 districts across 10 states, which house about a quarter of India’s population, or 330 million people, are affected by the widespread drought. Photo: APPremium
The government told the apex court that 254 districts across 10 states, which house about a quarter of India’s population, or 330 million people, are affected by the widespread drought. Photo: AP

New Delhi: The centre on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that it had already released 7,329 crore for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) for 2016-17, in an effort to ease wage payments for those employed under the scheme, given the drought in large parts of the country.

The government, through additional solicitor general P.S. Narasimha, told the court that it has also disbursed 12,230 crore to states to clear MGNREGS wage arrears from 2015-16.

The centre’s response came during a hearing on a public interest litigation filed by Swaraj Abhiyan, a non-profit seeking relief for drought-hit regions in the country.

The plea sought timely disbursement of crop loans, drought relief, help in procurement of subsidized cattle fodder and formulation of an integrated water policy.

The south-west monsoon, which irrigates over half of India’s crop area, recorded a deficit of 14% in 2015, the second straight year of sub-par rains; in 2014, the rain deficit was 12%.

Since then, 10 states have declared drought—Karnataka, Odisha, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Rajasthan. After recording crop losses, several of these drought-hit states are now facing an acute drinking water crisis.

In at least two states, Maharashtra and Rajasthan, Indian Railways is bringing water to parched areas in trains.

The apex court told the centre that it had the responsibility to inform states of impending drought.

“The central government has a responsibility to tell states that you’re headed for trouble. As the central government, you get a lot of information. Inform the states and ask them to take precautions. It’s not just money, it’s your duty to say please be careful, there’s a drought situation," the court said.

As per collated state government reports, 254 districts across 10 states, which house about a quarter of India’s population, or 330 million people, are affected by the widespread drought, Narasimha informed the court.

These figures do not include Gujarat, which declared a drought as late as March this year, nearly five months after the drought-hit kharif crop was harvested.

The apex court on Tuesday expressed its displeasure with the Gujarat government as it did not give any details of the drought. “Do they not want us to see the details," the court asked, directing Gujarat to file a detailed affidavit by Thursday.

On 18 January, the court asked the government to collate data on deficit rains, implementation of National Food Security Act, midday meal scheme and the rural employment guarantee Act.

On Tuesday, the bench comprising justices Madan B. Lokur and N. V. Ramana sought details on how many people got 150 days of employment under MGNREGS. The government is expected to give these numbers to the court by the next date of hearing on 26 April.

The apex centre in September increased the number of assured work days under MGNREGS from 100 a year to 150 in drought-hit areas.

Lawyer Prashant Bhushan, representing Swaraj Abhiyan, said that due to the prevalent hunger situation in parts of the country, like the Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh, the government should provide pulses and cooking oil.

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Published: 20 Apr 2016, 12:46 AM IST
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