Chiefs' Forum calls off proposed economic blockade
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN
Imphal, March 10 2014 :
The All Tribal Chiefs' Forum, Manipur (ATCFM) has decided not to go ahead with its proposed indefinite economic blockade from midnight of March 10 following the assurance given by the State Government of Manipur today.
Leaders of ATCFM and the representatives of the State Government held a meeting today to resolve the stalemate arising out of the MGNREGA in the hill districts of Manipur.
"The talk was successful and hence we have decided not to impose the indefinite economic blockade," said the chiefs forum today.
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 had demanded 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 has 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 had said.
The chiefs' body had 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 had 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.