Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 24:
Decrying alleged stalling of the remaining fund required for implementation of the proposed works under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) in the district, Thoubal District Panchayat Parishad has warned of launching various intense agitations if the remaining fund is not release within the current month.
Addressing a press conference in this connection at Manipur Press Club this afternoon, general secretary of Thoubal District Panchayat Parishad Pheiroijam Heramani informed that after providing 50 percent of the fund as first installation, the remaining fund has been stalled by the Programme Officer concerned.
Heramani said that the execution of the proposed works under the scheme by the job card holders in all the places under the jurisdiction of the Parishad comprising 42 pradhans including that of Kakching area commenced after 50 percent of the fund was provided as first instalment in the month of May.
By now, the works have been almost completed.
Yet the remaining fund has not yet been released by the Programme Officer concerned, thus, depriving the job card holders of their due wages, he lamented.
While explaining that as per the guidelines of the scheme, the fund for execution of the proposed works should be deposited in the bank accounts of the respective pradhans, Heramani observed that the present arrangement of keeping the fund in the account of the Programme Officers and releasing it in parts has unnecessarily delayed the progress of the work.
Along with highlighting the difficulties being faced by the job card holders, the matter has been brought to the notice of the District Programme Co-ordinators of the scheme on numerous occasions in the past.
But no positive response have been given till date, he rued.
In case the remaining fund is not released within the month of June, then the Parishad is ready to launch various intense agitation, he warned.