Probe ordered into Gujarat rural jobs scheme wage scam

NEW DELHI - The central government Thursday ordered an enquiry into the alleged irregularities in wage payments under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in a Gujarat village after an e-literate paanwala unearthed a Rs.1 crore scam that showed rich people as beneficiaries.

Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister C.P. Joshi Thursday ordered the probe in the scheme scam in Kotda village, Kotiyana district in Gujarat.

“It has been alleged that an e-literate paanwala had Googled to stumble upon a Rs.One crore scam which revealed that affluent NRIs, doctors, government officials, teachers and well-off farmers were shown as MGNREGS beneficiaries for their labour over the past three years,” an official statement from the ministry said.

The issue will be examined by a National Level Monitor (NLM) and the report should be submitted by Nov 30, he said.