Source: The Sangai Express / Jacob Panmei
Jiribam, December 08 2008:
National Rural Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) can be termed as an eyewash from the part of Government towards the innocent rural populace of Jiri as it has not benefited the toiling workers till date.
There are 6887 job card holders of NREGS in six Gram Panchayats of the sub-division.
The national scheme which guarantees a rural person with 100 days of employment in a year has turned out to be a big joke atleast in the context of Jiri, where hundreds of card holders have not got their due wages till date.
It is learnt that the job card holders of proper Imphal are getting their wages on weekly basis.
However, their fellowmen in Jiri are not getting the wage on the said basis.
One job card holder, Meino of Chingdong Leikai rued that he has not got any wage till date.
Another villager who did not want to disclose his identity said that meeting of the Prime Minister would be easier than getting a meeting appointment of the Jiri Block Development Officer (BDO).
The plight too felt to the grocery shop owners indirectly as a grocer conveyed that his shop is almost empty as he has sold out his goods on credit to the job card holders with the hope that they would repay in time.
Another worry grocer complained that the scheme is best suited for Government employees and not to hand to mouth earners as it takes too long in getting the wages.