Minister Biswajit downplays ZP member's statement
Source: Chronicle News Service

Kakching, May 10 2021: RD&PR minister Th Biswajit questioned why ZP member Seram Neken is opposing the government's proposal to utilise the MGNREGS fund released by the state government recently for payment of wages to the beneficiaries amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

Biswajit said that he made a sincere appeal to those concerned to utilise the Rs 83.6 crore fund released by the department for payment of wages to the job card holders.

Neken is making false claim of not converting wages component to material component.

In fact, he blocked fund release for Neken's ZP constituency with some others' after he came across an attempt to release the fund as material component upon their request.

He blocked the process since it is mandatory to release both material and wages component proportionately as per provision of the MGNREGA.

He further said that the department released the Rs 83.6 crore with the hope that it could provide some relief to the job card holders amid the Covid crisis.

Out of this fund, DPC Imphal East released Rs 5.32 crore to BDO - programme officer, Kshetrigao CD Block with the instruction of payment of liabilities for 4.27 mandays at average for job card holders.

A letter addressed to BDO - programme officer Kshet-rigao CD Block clearly mentions that the fund should not be utilised against the guidelines without prior approval of the district programme coordinator.

Enquiring the reason for frustration of Neken over the government's proposal, the minister questioned if the attempt to convert the wages component into material component holds any merit in this tough time.

The minister also questioned why Neken did not consider paying wages to the poor beneficiaries with the partial fund released by the department instead of trying to convert all the funds into material component.

He would have personally lauded Neken if he tried to pay wages for the job card holders, Biswajit said while criticising the ZP member for making false claims just to hide his wrongdoings.

Regarding the allegation of him taking political advantage against Neken, the minister said that the matter is not related with Neken's intention to contest the election from Thongju AC.

It is a matter of helping the public during the crisis period.

He did not targeted Neken intentionally but did his job as a minister of the department concerned.

There is no merit in engaging in counter argument but he was forced to make the statement as Neken tried to add political colour into the issue, Biswajit added.

He then said that he welcomes Neken to initiate any legal actions in this regard and added that he will not let anybody misuse wages for the job card holders.

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