Cash-strapped Andhra Pradesh has got yet another shock and this time it is from the Andhra Pradesh High Court. While the government is struggling to pay the salaries and pensions to the employees, the court ordered the Government to clear 2,500 Crore pending towards NREGA by August 1st.
If the government does not pay the arrears of NREGA by August 1, the court has ordered the top brass of the finance department to appear before the court. On August 1st, the court directed the Panchayat Raj Principal Secretary, Commissioner, and Principal secretary of the finance ministry to appear before it if the bills were not paid.
The court was outraged at why the Government did not enforce the court orders regarding the same even though it had said many times. A bench headed by the Chief Justice head a batch of petitions regarding the arrears in NREGA payments. The state government is accused of diverting the funds given by the Central Government has given.
Initially, the High Court thought of summoning the Chief Secretary as well to the court but the court dropped the idea after the government lawyer said the funds would be paid immediately.
