Tribal chiefs to go ahead with eco-blockade from March 10
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN

Imphal, March 08, 2014: All Tribal Chiefs' Forum, Manipur (ATCFM) has reminded all today today it will go ahead with the indefinite economic blockade from the midnight of March 10 as no response from the State Government has come forth so far.

"Our volunteers are all set to impose the indefinite economic blockade from midnight of March 10 along the National Highway 37 and NH-2. Meanwhile, the All Tribal Students Union, Manipur (ATSUM-Tombing group) has announced this afternoon to endorse the agitation of the chiefs forum.

"The step taken up by the All Tribal Chiefs Forum, Manipur is genuine," said ATSUM.

On March 3, the chiefs' body had a meeting participated by various hill based organisations at Kuki Inn, Imphal and took the decision to impose the indefinite economic blockade.

The chiefs' forum demands for the payment of the wages and cost of material components under MGNREGA scheme.

According to the organizations, since the funds are being routed through the Manipur State Rural Development Agency, there have been anomalies in the implementation of MGNREGA resulting in the delay of payment of wages or cost of material components.

Hardly, 20% or less has been paid and the remaining 80% withheld even at this fag of the financial year 2013-2014, said the forum.

The most pronounced MGNREGA under the national flagship programme fails to deliver goods to the poor masses in the hills of Manipur in time due to mismanagement of the schemes by dislocating the funds to different government agencies, who in return fail to co-ordinate the schemes, it said.

The chiefs' body then said that MGNREGA under the National Flagship Programme fails to deliver goods to the poor masses in the hill districts of Manipur in time due to mismanagement of the schemes by dislocating the funds to different government agencies who, in return fail to co-ordinate the schemes.

The forum has also urged the district authorities to release the remaining funds under MGNREGA and make immediate payment to the village beneficiary committee at the grass root level.

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