Voicing concern over alleged misappropriation of funds meant for rural job guarantee scheme in Orissa, the Supreme Court today asked the Centre to expeditiously decide on a CBI probe into the matter.

A Bench headed by the Chief Justice Mr S.H. Kapadia, made it clear that if the Centre fails to take a decision within four weeks, the court would step in.

“We are informed by the Additional Solicitor General (Indira Jaising) that the Government is considering to approach the CBI for conducting the probe. For that purpose, we are giving four weeks time to the Centre.

“We make it clear that if the Centre does not take any decision, we would step in,” the Bench said.

It said the reports show that there is massive misappropriation of funds to the tune of 88 per cent in some districts of the State.

Funds diversion

“Reports of the CAG as well as of the National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD) showmisappropriation of funds, allegedly by the officials and functionaries of the implementation agencies, resulting in diversion of funds of honest tax payers of the nation.”

The court issued the directions, while hearing a public interest lawsuit filed in 2007 by an NGO, Centre for Environment and Food Security, alleging large-scale corruption in the implementation of the programme for rural jobs under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.

Job Guarantee

Based on the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) in 2005, the scheme provides for legally-guaranteed 100 days of employment to at least one member of each rural household.

The apex court had on December 16 last, while hearing the PIL, had indicted both the Union and the state governments for their failure in properly executing the rural job guarantee scheme and had asked them to explain as to why a CBI probe into the fund embezzlement should not be ordered.

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