Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa has sought the intervention of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to ensure immediate release of balance funds of Rs 1,200 crore to the state under National Rural Employment Guarantee Act "as per the approved labour budget at the pre-revised wage rates". In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister on Friday,he said that the state had made good progress in implementation of NREGA during 2009-10. Out of the total funds available as on January 5,2010,an expenditure of 75.24 per cent has been achieved. The union government has revised the labour budget for the state for 2009-10 from Rs 1084.72 crore to Rs 2846.83 crore considering its better performance,he said. Though the understanding was that the amount would be released in two tranches,the state government has been receiving the money in "small" installments from the Centre,Yeddyurappa said. Even after the revision of Labour Budget in October 2009,only three installments have been released till now. "Despite taking up the matter with Secretary,Rural Development,only Rs 121.25 crore has been released as the seventh tranche which is just about sufficient for a week," he said,adding these "meagre" releases were creating many problems in implementation of the scheme. Pointing out that the expenditure during October 2009 was Rs 249 crore and in November and December,it was Rs 292 crore and Rs 309 crore respectively,Yeddyurappa said,adding expenditure during the remaining months was likely to be Rs 400-450 crore per month as the wage rates have also been revised. Arrears of over Rs 200 crore have to be paid because of the wage revision,he said,while urging the Prime Minister to intervene and ensure that the balance amount of Rs 1,200 crore "as per the approved labour budget,at the pre-revised wage rates are made available to the state immediately."
