File photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (Press Trust of India).
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh Wednesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure the release of the remaining central share of MGNREGA funds to the state as per the 2014-15 budget.
To ensure the effective implementation of rural schemes under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and providing employment to all the wage seekers, the chief minister expressed his concern about the non-availability of funds, an official statement said.
He requested the prime minister to issue the necessary directions for releasing the state's share at the earliest.
The chief minister said the government of India had approved Rs.761.71 crore labour budget to the state for this fiscal under MGNREGA, out of which Rs.670.71 crore was the central share.
A total of Rs.740.58 crore was required but the union government had so far released only Rs.355.43 crore to the state.
He urged the prime minister to release the remaining amount for the successful implementation of the scheme.
The chief minister said the state was implementing MGNREGA in an effective manner and during the last financial year the state spent Rs.571.22 crore under the scheme by generating 282.47 lakh man-days against the approved labour budget of Rs.273.19 lakh man-days.