Ahead of a performance review meeting, a ministerial note posted on the official website listed reasons for delays in wage payments as found by officials sent across Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
One of the factors contributing to the delays referred to "psychological issues" like the belief among local officials that the Centre would not release funds for job scheme because of the statements made by then rural development minister. The former minister being alluded to was Gadkari.
However, on realizing the transgression, the ministry amended the note by attributing the belief about the funds drying up to "media reports", removing the reference to the minister.
The goof-up raised eyebrows as to what had happened. There were speculations if it was plain carelessness or there was more to it. After all, it is rare that a former minister is blamed in official papers, much less that of the same government and that too a political heavyweight like Gadkari. A senior official blamed it on poor drafting, saying such oversights can only be inadvertent.
The Congress seized on the issue to again mount an offensive against BJP by accusing it of diluting the job scheme. AICC spokesperson Shobha Oza told reporters, "Gadkari has created the impression through loose press statements that MGNREGA, which provides livelihood to crores of people, might be 'discontinued' across the country." She accused the Centre of withholding wage payments of up to Rs 10,000 crore under MGNREGA, wondering if the "bureaucracy had started working at the whims and fancies of Gadkari in disbursal of funds to the states."
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