A parliamentary panel on Thursday recommended greater allocation of funds for the rural development schemes including the MGNREGA employment scheme and stated that the proposed outlay for the 2015-16 financial year was not sufficient.
"Keeping in view the likely revision of wage rate and expected increase in outreach of households, the committee is constrained to note that the allocation made for the current year does not seem to be adequate for effective implementation of the scheme for having wider coverage," said the report of the standing committee headed by P Venugopal.
The panel underlined that the allocation for 2013-14 and 2014-15 was Rs 33,000 crore and Rs 34,000 crore, the Centre allocated Rs 34,699 crore for the current financial year. It also expressed concern about lack of fund utilisation and delay in payment of wages, while also stating that job seekers should not be denied employment.
"The committee, therefore, recommends that the department should pursue with the finance ministry and Niti Aayog for higher budgetary allocation for MGNREGA so that inadequacy of funds could not be a ground for slippage in achieving the objectives and targets of the scheme," it said.