Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 30 2008:
Notwithstanding the Supreme Court ruling that benefits of NREGS should also be extended to people living with HIV/AIDS, many of them are being denied the benefits of the scheme, cried Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS Manipur (NPM) .
Speaking to reporters at its New Lambulane office, NPM secretary Hegin Lupho said that not all people living with HIV/AIDS get the benefit of NREGS.
Hegin Lupho who is also a member of the Network of Positive People, Senapati district conveyed one couple living in Senapati who approached the authority to work under NREGS were given only one job card saying that NREGS guidelines do not stipulate two job cards to a household.
One Thoibi of Thoubal district who is also living with HIV said that such incidents are common in other districts too.
Many couples and widows living with HIV/AIDS are being denied NREGS job cards on the pretext that one job card has been already issued to a member of their families, Thoibi conveyed.
Taking part in the press meet, Soibam Hemanta of the Lawyers' Collective informed that the Supreme Court passed in interim order on August 5 this year which laid down that people living with HIV/AIDS should be given the benefits of NREGS.
The same ruling was also incorporated in the 19 points order passed by the Supreme Court, Hemanta added.
A training programme organised by the Network of Positive People, Senapati district on social security schemes was concluded today.
During the training programme held in the NPM office, lawyers of the Lawyers' Collective imparted training on RTI and PDS.