Refund money to job card holders: IPAK
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, August 31 2021:
Indigenous People's Association of Kangleipak (IPAK) has asked all concerned to refund money collected from job card holders of MGNREGS while cautioning that legal action would be initiated in addition to exposing names of those who collected the money.
According to a statement of IPAK issued by its general secretary Leishangthem Romen Meetei, the organisation has been keenly observing works under Mahatrha Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) since April; 2020 so that job card holders get the number of working days properly and wages accordingly.
When MLA, Zila Parishad member, pradhan and ward member collected money credited to bank account of job card holders, IPAK has been fighting for the rights of the job card holders and even lodged complaints to authority concerned fortaking action against the wrongdoers.
The minister concerned had even rectified errors detected in implementation of the scheme and took action against wrongdoers in the past.
Unfortunately, it is reported that MLA, Zila Parishad member, pradhan and ward member collected money from job card holders in the year 2020-21 thereby violating rights of job card holders, the statement said, adding that many job card holders approached IPAK with requests for monitoring works under MGNERGA as did in the past.
According to the IPAK statement, collection of money from job card holders and deduction of wages indeed is handiwork of an organised gang and government's law enforcing agency like vigilance and anti-corruption department should be operationalized in every district either under Inspector General of Police or Deputy Inspector General of Police to take action against the frauds.
If this step is not taken, corruption and diversion of government fund will continue and such acts would be considered as appropriate by the future generation, it said and appealed to government to initiate steps to collect information through open and covert means to punish those who dupe job card holders.