Job card holders stage sit-in at Heirok
Source: The Sangai Express
Thoubal, February 04 2021:
Locals of Lourembam Gram Panchayat in Heirok staged a sit-in today against non-implementation of work under MGNREGS.
The sit-in at Nongpok Lourembam Awang Ningthou Shanglen was participated by beneficiaries of MGNREGA who demanded work under the scheme immediately for the number of days as specified by the scheme.
One of the job card holders, Yumnam Momoni said work schemes under the MGNREGS have completely ceased and the beneficiaries have been deprived of their rights.
She added that during the 2017-18 and 2020-21 period a job card holder has been able to work for just 4 or 5 days and were given no more than Rs 3000 during this period.
The elected member of the Panchayat collects thumb signatures of all the beneficiaries and withdraws the funds deposited to the personal bank accounts of the beneficiaries, one of the beneficiaries said.
Each job card holder was given a maximum of Rs 500 and the remaining were taken by the elected representatives of the Panchayat, alleged the job card holders present at the sit-in today.
Regarding this, women of the area filed an RTI and complaints were raised to offices concerned based on the response of the RTI.
However their complaints have also not been taken seriously by the officials.
The job card holders sought the attention of the Minister concerned and department on the matter.