Just 19 days work since the inception of MGNREGS to Keirao Makting locals
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Maisnam Karnajit
Imphal, October 25 2011:
In what could be term as a total failure of MGNREGS in the state, the MGNREGS job card holders of Keirao constituency has been deprived of their rightful work with only 19 days work given to their credit since the inception of the scheme in the state.
Inspite of the MGNREGS act providing for 100 days work to the rural poor of India, the job card holders of Keirao Makting gram panchayat, ward number 7, which coincidentally happens to be under the assembly constituency of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister, Md Allaudin Khan, have been given only 19 days work, since its inception.
The fact came to light when this reporter met with the job card holders of Keirao Makting recently.
Md Hafajuddin, a job card holder, who is also the General Secretary of Universal Progressive Welfare Association, Urup Khunnou said that with the inception of NREGS in the year 2008, residents of Keirao Makting gram panchayat under Pradhan Rajima and member Mohamud Anwar of Keirao Makting gram panchayat of ward number 7, were given work for 19 days.
After that no people of this constituency were ever given any work further.
As such their right to work for 100 days in a year has been deprived.
Above this, the workers are never given their bank passbooks and job cards although all requirements for the same have been already fulfilled.
He further went on to say that since the Pradhan and the member of the gram panchayat have deprived them of their works; there are also apprehensions that the duo might have misused their rightful wages and also the unemployment allowances.
In relation with the incident, the workers of Keirao have approached the Block Development Officer, Imphal West II, Keirao Bitra and Panchayat Secretary to highlight the workers muster roll and their work register, but it was flatly denied.
As such the workers will be filling a complaint to the Ombudsman, MGNREGS, Imphal East very soon, he said.
It may be rightly mentioned that 100 days work is being provided to every job card holder under the MGNREGS.
If in case, work cannot be provided to them then they should be receiving non employment allowance for the number of days not worked.