The findings of a survey conducted in 100 villages of Orissa’s 6 districts have revealed that out of Rs 733 crore spent under NREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) in Orissa during 2006-7, more than Rs 500 crore has been siphoned and misappropriated by the government officials of implementing agencies.

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In other words, less than 25 per cent of the NREGS funds have reached the targeted population and more than 75 per cent have been eaten up by sarkari babus. However, there are thousands of villages in Orissa where about 80-90 percent of NREGS funds have been misappropriated by the executing officials.

This survey was conducted during May-June 2007 by Delhi-based Centre for Environment and Food Security(CEFS) to assess and evaluate the performance of NREGA in the state of Orissa. The survey was carried out in 100 villages spread over six districts of KBK (Kalahandi-Bolangir-Koraput) region, namely; Bolangir, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Koraput, Nabarangpur and Rayagada. The complete report can be downloaded as a pdf file.

The findings of the survey were released yesterday (17th August 2007) by eminent social scientist Prof Ashis Nandy at a Press Conference at the Press Club of India in New Delhi.

The findings of CEFS survey are shocking, scandalous and outrageous. The National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) in Orissa has been virtually hijacked by officials responsible for the implementation of   this scheme. Our survey findings have revealed that there is participatory loot, plunder and pillage in Orissa’s rural job scheme.

There is open loot of taxpayers’ money, there is plunder of poors’ right to guaranteed wage employment for 100 days and there is pillage of every single norm of democratic governance and  administrative accountability.

CEFS has also prepared a list of about 5000 villages from 19 NREGA districts of Orissa and we are absolutely certain that there has been open loot and massive financial bungling in more than 95 per cent of these villages. Along with this Survey Report, we have also released names of 2461 villages from 5 NREGA districts of Orissa, namely- Koraput, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Mayurbhanj and Gajapati. The names of villages from remaining 14 NREGA districts will be released within one month. On every alternate day, CEFS will release names of villages from one NREGA district of Orissa till all the 19 NREGA districts are completed. This list of villages has been prepared by using Corruption Detection Tool (CDT) devised by CEFS.
 

We have devised this research tool of CDT based on our first hand experience in 100 villages of Orissa and secondary reports and inputs on the implementation of NREGS in 19 districts of Orissa. We also carried out Field Trial of CDT in many villages of Orissa. However, we do not claim that CDT has detected every village where financial bungling has been committed. Financial bungling has been committed in almost every village of Orissa  where NREGA has been implemented. Our only claim is that there has been open loot and massive financial bungling of NREGA funds in more than 95 per cent of the villages selected by CDT. To download the names of villages selected by CDT, please click here:

Parshuram Rai, Director, Centre for Environment and Food Security

C-5/129,Yamuna Vihar, Delhi-110053 Mobile : 9810400214

Website: http://www.cefsindia.org/