Four states ruled by parties other than the BJP figured among the five worst implementers of the Centre's flagship rural jobs programme under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in 2016-17, in terms of making timely payments to workers. Tamil Nadu, which draws 20 per cent of NREGS funds, the maximum among all states, reported delays in more than 90 per cent payments during the financial year. According to rural development ministry data, BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh made 80 per cent delayed payments while Uttar Pradesh during the Samajwadi Party rule had 78 per cent delays.