The Supreme Court on Thursday asked all states and the Centre to furnish replies with regard to allegations about the tardy implementation of the UPA Government’s flagship National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

The directive came on a petition filed by an NGO, Centre for Environment and Food Security (CEFS), which highlighted that most funds allocated under the scheme “do not reach the intended recipients, are are instead siphoned off by the corrupt officials and contractors”.

The petition is based on the draft CAG report besides the NGO’s own survey. The Indian Express, too, had highlighted the same in a series of reports earlier this year.

Acting on the submissions of advocate Prashant Bhushan, who appeared for the NGO, Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan issued a notice to the Ministry of Rural Development besides chief secretaries of all states. Urging the court to make the authorities concerned accountable for non-implementation of the Act, the advocate pleaded that the court issue directions for fixing liability on the chief secretary or the district collector.

Alleging that the scheme, which was notified in September 2005 with a view to provide 100 days of minimum guaranteed employment to at least one member of each rural household, is riddled with corruption and mismanagement, the NGO has sought “proper and equitable implementation of the Act and schemes envisaged under it”.

The first reality check for the scheme had come after a six-month performance audit conducted under the CAG across 68 randomly selected districts. The report had concluded that barely 3.2 pc of the registered households could avail 100 days of employment in a year.