Uttar Pradesh has been the worst performing state when it comes to implement the Mahatama Gandhi National Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) with several cases of irregularities coming to the notice of the rural development ministry.

According the ministry, the maximum number of complaints regarding irregularities of all types in implementation of the scheme has come from UP. Out of a total of 2,574 complaints from states as on November 10, UP accounts for 999 complaints, minister of state for rural development Pradeep Jain informed rajya sabha on Tuesday.

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National level monitors (NLMs) have been deputed in 71 cases for further inquiry; out of which 65 reports have already been received by the centre, the minister said. NLMs are deputed by the ministry in complaints of serious nature and their reports are analyzed and findings are forwarded to the concerned state governments for taking corrective measures.

Implementation of the scheme is done by the state governments and all complaints that the ministry receives are forwarded to the state governments for taking appropriate action, including investigation, as per law.

Governance Now had highlighted serious cases of embezzlement of the MGNREGS funds in its Oct 16-31 edition ('National Rural Embezzlement Scheme'). Governance Now had reported on some of the scams in Varanasi, Sonbhadra, Kushinagar, Kanpur Dehat, Siddharth Nagar and Unnao.

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In one of cases that Governance Now highlighted, Rs 1 crore was spent in building a 400 metre road in Unnao district. In another case, mitti bharai and construction of a boundary wall at government nursery in Siddhartha Nagar district cost Rs 22.33 lakh.

Following the Governance Now expose, rural development minister Jairam Ramesh wrote to Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati threatening a CBI probe into the rampant corruption in the implementation of the MGNREGS projects in the state.