THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: 381.25 crore material fund of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme was not been disbursed even during Onam and the beneficiaries are suffering from the laxity of the State Employment Guarantee Mission. Even after a month of receiving the central allocation followed by the state allocation, the common people involved in the scheme are still visiting the offices to get the money. Although the amount is in the MGNREGS account of the Vellayambalam branch of SBI, disbursement has not been started yet.

Those who entered into contracts for the construction of chicken coops, goat sheds, cattle sheds, etc. according to the project and paid money from their own pockets, are ones in crisis. Those who applied two years ago are also waiting to receive the amount.

The state received the first instalment of the material fund for the financial year 2023-24, the central allocation of Rs 285.94 crore, on July 14. Then the mission director gave a request to the government on July 19 asking for the state share of 95.31 crores. It was sanctioned on August 1 but the authorities are continuing to be complacent without disbursing the amount. Due to not getting the amount on time, the complaints of hundreds of people are being considered by the district ombudsmen.

Move to change priority

Vendors who supply materials for works like road concreting, border wall construction for streams, anganwadi construction etc. are also to be paid from this account. Payments are made to individual beneficiaries and vendors based on the priority order of bill submission. It has been alleged that there is a move to pay the vendors first by changing the priority.