Rs 14,000 crore spent, but half the works incomplete and just 20-30% visible on ground: CAG on MGNREGS in Maharashtra

Mumbai: Nearly Rs 14,000 crore spent under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in six districts of Maharashtra has come under scrutiny, with a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report revealing that while around 90% funds were utilised, only about 50% of works were shown ‘completed' and just 20-30% were partially visible on the ground, raising serious questions over execution and outcomes during five fiscals between 2019-20 and 2023-24.The audit report, prepared by a team of CAG under the leadership of the principal accountant general of Maharashtra D Jaisankar, flagged low demand for work despite the scheme guaranteeing 100 days of employment. On an average, 14.82 lakh households (75.42%) availed less than 50 days of work, while only 1.71 lakh households (8.7%) completed 100 days, indicating limited uptake. In a survey of 480 job card holders, 57% cited low wages as a reason for poor participation.Implementation gaps were stark. Of the total works sanctioned, 19.57% remained incomplete and 27.62% had not even started, while 3.03 lakh older works also remained unfinished. The absence of limits on the number of works taken up simultaneously led to a pile-up of pending projects, pointing to weak planning and execution.Administrative lapses were widespread. In 47 of 48 gram panchayats, job card application registers were not maintained properly, and delays were seen in issuing job cards to 52% applicants. Instances of duplicate job cards were also detected due to lack of system checks.The report highlighted payment-related irregularities, with 7% of wages delayed on average. Compensation claims worth Rs 5.88 crore were rejected without legal backing, and Rs 35.32 crore in wages remained unpaid as of October 2024, exposing serious deficiencies in fund flow and accountability.Further, irregular muster rolls were generated even after completion of works under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana, signalling weak monitoring. Planning processes were also flawed, with delays in labour budgets and absence of baseline surveys, affecting demand assessment and project prioritisation.The audit noted that key staff were missing, with Gram Rozgar Sahayaks not appointed in 2,258 gram panchayats, impacting implementation on the ground.The findings, though based on six districts, suggest deeper systemic issues across the state, raising concerns that the scheme risks turning into a large-scale dole without commensurate asset creation or employment generation if corrective measures are not urgently taken.