Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The provisions included in the G Ram G scheme, a changed version of the MNREGA, will increase the financial burden on the state government. The Central Government used to pay 100% of the wages and shared 75% of the material costs.
Under the MNREGA scheme, the state government was paying 25% of the material costs and unemployment allowance if someone was jobless. But now, the Central Government will pay 60% of the expenses, and the state will share 40% of the expenses under the G Ram G scheme.
The G Ram G scheme will ensure 125 days of work. The state government will pay unemployment allowance every week if a person does not get a job within 15 days of submitting applications under the new scheme.
According to sources, the state government received Rs 6,343 crore under the old scheme. Now, the government has to set aside an additional amount of Rs 2,500 crore in the budget to meet expenses under the new scheme. The state s fiscal health is not in the pink. Thus, the new scheme is set to cast a burden on the state.
According to the Panchayat and Rural Development Minister, Prahlad Patel, the state government is ready with a plan to deal with the expenses under the G Ram G scheme.
He has given consent for the new scheme, Patel said, adding that there is not a single labourer who can say that he has been out of employment. After the changes in the scheme, the government is ready to handle any situation.
