MGNREGS 'reality' grounds Ramesh's proclamation
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 24 2012: Contrary to the proclamation of Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh on Manipur's commendable progress in implementing MGNREGS, a total amount of Rs 42,45,942 has been swindled without giving any information to job-card holders.

Moreover, more funds were misappropriated after issuing job-cards in the names of dead men and Government employees.

All these fraudulent practices happened in Sangaiyumpham Part II Gram Panchayat under Khangabok AC in Thoubal district.

When some job-card holders of the GP visited www.mgnrega.nic.in, they found no records for 2008, 2009 and 2010 but the website displayed withdrawal of Rs 42,45,942 for 2011 .

Speaking to media persons at Manipur Press Club here today, the duped job-card holders quoted the website which reportedly stated that job card holders of Sangaiyumpham GP Ward No 1 worked for 52 days to 105 days at five different places in 2011 .

The corresponding figures for Ward No 2 were 14 days to 98 days.

For Ward No 3, the figures were 14 days to 42 days and for Ward No 4, it was 28 days to 98 days.

But the job-card holders maintained that they did not work even a single day under MGNREGS during 2010 and 2011 .

In 2008, they worked for only seven days and five days in 2009 .

For 2012, they have worked for four days from June 6 to June 9 .

They further disclosed that a sum of Rs 10,584 was withdrawn on January 30 this year in the name of Sorokhaibam Kumarjit of Sangaiyumpham GP Ward No 3 but the said Kumarjit had expired way back in March, 2008 .

The job-card issued to Kumarjit was affixed with a photograph of a girl and it was shown to the media persons.

Another job-card was also issued in the name of late Nongmaithem Ibobi of Lamding Cherapur but the photograph affixed on the card was that of Yendrembam Ibomcha of Ward No 4 who too had expired.

So far, Rs 570 had been withdrawn against the job-card issued in the name of Nongmaithem Ibobi.

Further, wages for 14 days had been withdrawn in the name of one Khumanthem Premkumar of Lamding Khumanthem Leikai who is a policeman.

This was disclosed by none other than Premkumar's mother.

She said that they were never told about making job-card for Premkumar.

"Premkumar never worked for MGNREGS.

He was away at his place of posting during those particular days when he reportedly worked for MGNREGS", the bewildered mother said.

Premkumar added that wages have been withdrawn after making job-card in the name of Th Ramchandra of Ward No 3 who is working as an ASI.

The beneficiaries of Sangaiyumpham Part II Gram Panchayat who are entitled to hold job-cards have not been given jobs cards or passbooks.

Nor any entry about deposits or withdrawals were made on the passbooks.

Mother of one Nongmaithem Nandakumar of Ward No 3 who is a commissioned officer in the Indian Navy said that they were never informed when a job-card was made in the name of his son.

Denouncing all these acts of fraudulence and deceit, the duped job-card holders demanded that all the swindled amount should be returned by Pradhan Md Wahidur Rehman, Members Kh Bina, Ningthoujam Nungshilata, Sanasam Sorojini, Thounaojam Santosh and their cohorts.

If they fail to pay back the amount to the genuine job-card holders after executing MGNREGS works anew, the matter would be taken to Court, they said.

As against 710 job-card holders listed in the GP, wages for 614 job-card holders have been withdrawn fraudulently without informing them, they added.

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