Are other states also being harassed,Maya asks Jairam

UP CM accuses Ramesh of misleading the people of state.

Hitting back at Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh,who had written a letter accusing the Uttar Pradesh government of protecting those involved in MNREGA irregularities,Chief Minister Mayawati on Saturday asked if any other state was being harassed in the same manner in which her state was being targeted. She also asked if such a situation was being deliberately created by sending frequent letters.

At a press conference here,state Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh read out Mayawatis statement.

Mayawati said mediapersons are receiving the letters even before they reach her. She claimed the state government has taken stern action in matters involving irregularities in the implementation of MNREGA. According to her,her government keeps on informing the Centre about the Action Taken Report(ATR) in all such matters.

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She said Ramesh was reading out the same ATR on different news channels and accused him of misleading the people of state.

Mayawati said she has reviewed all matters mentioned in Rameshs letter written on November 18. She said while he is concerned over the MNREGA,his ministry (Union Rural Development Ministry) is silent on the slow progress in the CBI probe into the foodgrain scam.

The Chief Minister said the state government has made several arrangements for ensuring quality in the implementation of MNREGA across the state. Both national-level and state-level monitor are working under the same arrangements. She claimed whatever reports these monitors submit,the state government gets them examined and ensures action.

In terms of MNREGA implementation,she claimed the state has been the best performer in the past three years,citing information on the Union Rural Development Ministrys website. Besides,the state is the first in fixing the minimum wages for the labourers,she added.

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According to a government release,FIRs were lodged in about 117 matters in connection with irregularities in the implementation of MNREGA across the state. Out of 117 cases,the police have so far submitted charge-sheets in 55 cases. The release said actions were taken against 27 Class I officers,38 Class II officers and 63 Class III employees,besides 236 field level employees.

Earlier in his letter,Ramesh had cited instances of graft in NREGS implementation in Balrampur,Gonda,Mahoba,Sonbhadra,Kushinagar,Mirzapur and Sant Kabir Nagar. He had insisted on a CBI probe.

Meanwhile,Mayawati described the Centres move to announce a hefty relief package for weavers as an election stunt. She added if the Centre was concerned about them,it would have acted on the suggestions made by her in the past.