(3) As per an announcementmade in July 2013, the governmentis giving a fresh pushto its flagship rural employmentscheme, providing additionalfunds to Uttar Pradesh,Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha.These states have beenchosen because half of theirpopulation is below povertyline and they have not beenable to utilise even 30per centof the funds under MahatmaGandhi National Rural EmploymentGuarantee Act(MGNREGA) due to proceduraltechnicalities.