MLAs, ministers accused of deducting MGNREGS fund
Source: Chronicle News Service
Thoubal, May 26 2021:
Expressing concern over the stalemate between a particular minister and PRI members over the release/ payment of MGNREGS fund, Charangpat ZP member Ph Hiramani has claimed that MLAs and ministers are involved in MGNREGS works and they deduct certain percentage of money as commission from the funds meant for rural jobs.
In a statement to the media, the ZP member said that ministers and MLAs are heavily involved in MGNREGS works and fund utilisation but the PRI members are falsely held accountable over misappropriation of funds whenever there is a conflict or delay in wages payment.
Recently, PRI members organised protests, bandh and Panchayat Day boycott over the delay in releasing MGNREGS fund.
However, the MLAs and ministers, who charge commission from the fund, remained silent at that time as if they are not involved or aware of the situation.
Instead, they shifted the blame on the PRI members.
PRI members are also public representatives and there are several well-qualified and young members in PRI bodies.
They are the ones that work at the grassroots level.
However, the government has been suppressing their rights by delaying the process of decentralisation of power.
The young PRI members are well aware of the operational guidelines of schemes sanctioned through PRIs and are capable of debating over those schemes at any point of time.
The PRI members have been participating in the rural development works like those in Sikkim, Tripura and Kerala.
However, the state government seems to be reluctant in strengthening the PRIs, he said.
Panchayat plays an important role in promoting rural tourism in Goa and bringing economic growth in the state.
Unfortunately, in Manipur, rural development schemes fail to reach the grassroots level due to absence of power decentralisation.
The government prevents PRIs to function properly and effectively and such suppression lead to downfall of schemes like MGNREGS.
He further alleged that MLAs and ministers charge 25 per cent commission from MGNREGS funds and they are also the ones who are trying to show PRI members as corrupt.
Simply organising Go to Village without power decentralisation will not bring any good, the ZP member contended.