CAG Flags Irregularities in Jharkhand's Rural Development Schemes

What Happened

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has identified major irregularities in the execution of three significant rural development programs in Jharkhand: Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin) (PMAY-G), Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). These findings were presented in the latest CAG reports tabled in the Jharkhand Assembly.

Key Facts

• Under PMAY-G, deficient planning resulted in 6.32 lakh eligible households remaining uncovered. The state identified 22.34 lakh eligible households by November 2022, but due to inaccuracies in the priority list and delays, the central government allocated only 16.02 lakh houses.
• From 2016 to 2024, ₹14,113 crore was spent on PMAY-G in Jharkhand against available funds of ₹20,199.98 crore, with utilization rates between 55% and 83% from 2019 to 2024.
• For the Jal Jeevan Mission, 97,535 schemes were initiated at an agreed cost of ₹24,665.29 crore, but only 27,249 schemes were completed as of December 2024.
• As of March 2025, 34,31,115 households (55%) in Jharkhand had functional household tap connections, falling below the national average of 80%.
• In the MGNREGA implementation, a discrepancy was found between the NREGASoft portal data and the department's financial accounts.
• Outstanding wages for unskilled labor under MGNREGA amounted to ₹321.84 crore between 2019-20 and 2023-24.
• Out of 1,02,68,484 proposed MGNREGA works from 2019-24, only 27% (27,96,044) were completed, with 49% (50,21,492) remaining incomplete as of March 2024, after an expenditure of ₹2,633 crore.

Why It Matters

The detected irregularities point to significant issues in the planning, execution, and financial management of essential rural development programs. The failure to cover eligible households under PMAY-G, the low completion rate of JJM schemes, and the discrepancies and outstanding payments in MGNREGA suggest that intended beneficiaries may not be receiving the full benefits of these schemes. The lower-than-national average functional household tap connection coverage also indicates a shortfall in providing basic amenities.

Background

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin) aims to provide housing for the rural poor, the Jal Jeevan Mission seeks to ensure tap water connections for all rural households, and MGNREGA guarantees at least 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.