Job card issued to dead man, MLA boycotted
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, June 08 2011:
Malpractices in the issue of MGNREGS job cards like making job cards in the name people who died more than six years back and withdrawing of wages with the 'signature' of the dead men were detected in a gram panchayat in Thoubal district.
The irregularities were detected when the Pradhan distributed job cards to the villagers who then lodged a complaint with the Thoubal DC in April this year.
Failing to give a positive response to the plea of the villagers regarding the rectification of irregularities, the villagers of Yairipok Singa has boycotted local MLA K Meghachandra.
General secretary of Singa Apunba Lup, Md Abas said that they lodged a complaint with the Thoubal DC when villagers of Yairipok Singa under Ward No 9, 10 and 11 of Wangkhem Gram Panchayat were deprived of MGNREGS jobs cards and no job was provided under the
flagship scheme.
The matter was brought to the notice of the Thoubal DC on April 16 and following instructions from the DC, Pradhan Md Abdul Helim and member of the three wards distributed job cards which they kept in their custody without distributing them to the villagers on May 16, the general secretary told reporters.
Altogether 181 job cards along with 153 bank passbooks were handed over to the villagers.
Ultimately, job cards in the name of two members of a family, and in the name of persons who died more than six years ago were found.
Apart from making job cards and passbooks for deceased persons, wages were also found withdrawn by appending 'signatures' of the deceased persons in the passbooks.
President of the Singa Nupi Apunba Lup, Samila announced boycotting of local MLA K Meghachandra in their village alleging that the MLA acted against the pleas of the villagers.
She said that when they were deprived of MGNREGS jobs and were unable to receive PDS (Public Distribution System) items, they pleaded the MLA to address their plight but in total contrast to the expectation of the villagers, the MLA filed a case against the villagers.
She further warned the Pradhan and members of the Gram Panchayat that any untoward incident arising out of the matter will be their sole responsibility.