Parliamentary panel criticises Rural Development Ministry over MGNREGS payment delays
New Delhi: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development has criticised the Union Rural Development Ministry for “sidelining” a specific query regarding pending payments under the material component of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Deccan Herald reported.
“It is unfathomable how a specific query of the committee can be sidelined on such an important matter,” the panel, chaired by Congress MP Saptagiri Ulaka, said in its report tabled on Monday (August 11).
The committee noted that wages worth ₹12,219.18 crore were pending, while ₹11,227.09 crore remained uncleared under the material component. This amounted to 27.26% of the current budget, meaning over one-fourth of the funds allocated for 2025-26 would be used to clear previous years’ dues. As a result, the working budget for the current financial year was reduced to ₹62,553.73 crore.
According to the report, such pendencies have severely affected both the demand-driven nature of the scheme and the creation of assets. The panel urged the ministry to immediately clear all pending bills to avoid delays in wage disbursement, ensure timely release of the Centre’s share of funds, improve coordination with state governments, and adopt measures to prevent future delays.
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Niqab incident: Nitish Kumar perhaps revealing his true colours, says J-K CM
Srinagar (PTI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday criticised his Bihar counterpart over the niqab incident and said that Nitish Kumar might be slowly revealing his true nature.
"Nitish Kumar, who was once considered a secular leader, may be slowly showing his true colours," Abdullah told reporters here on the sidelines of a function.
Abdullah said Kumar removing the face veil of a Muslim woman doctor was wrong and cannot be justified by any means.
"We have seen this kind of incident here several years ago. Have you forgotten how Mehbooba Mufti removed the burqa of a legitimate voter inside a polling station? That act was wrong, and this act (of Kumar) is also wrong.
"If the (Bihar) chief minister did not want to hand over the order to her (Muslim woman), they could have kept her aside. However, to humiliate her like this is totally wrong," the Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said.
Kumar stirred a huge controversy after he removed the face veil of a Muslim woman at a function earlier this week.
