Ombudsman: Pay MGNREGS dues
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, February 26 2011:
The Deputy Ombudsman, MGNREGS, Imphal East district has issued an order asking the authority to pay unemployment allowance to 13 MGNREGS job card holders under Uchekon Nongchup Gram Panchayat in Imphal East district.
The ruling of the Ombudsman was issued after hearing separate complaints filed by 13 card holders.
They complained that they have applied for work to the panchayat in 2010 to get employment under the MGNREGS.
However, they were not provided employment as demanded by them within 15 days from the date of submission of their application.
The 13 job card holders lodged separate complaints with the Imphal east deputy ombudsman.
After considering the matter at length and also considering the response of the authority of the MGNREGS, Imphal East district, the deputy ombudsman issued an order directing the programme officer of MGNREGS, Imphal east-II CD block to consider payment of unemployment allowance to the complainants within 15 days from the date of issue of the order.
The deputy ombudsman, W Joykumar, also made it clear that the rate of the payment of unemployment allowance should be one-fourth of the wage rate for the first 30 days and a half of the wage rates for the remaining period of this financial year.
He also recommended to the authority concerned to take appropriate disciplinary action against the programme officer, MGNREGS concerned for violating the provision of the flagship programme, a statement of the Human Rights Law Network stated.