Former chairman junks JBA's rebuttal
Source: Chronicle News Service

Chandel, September 13 2022: Dismissing the rebuttal issued by Japhou Bazar Authority (JBA) in connection with issuing of ST certificates and job cards under MGNREGS to some non-locals, former JBA chairman HL Lordson Anal questioned the ground for inclusion of non-locals in the list of MGNREGS beneficiaries and electoral rolls.

Addressing a press meet at Japhou Bazar, here, on Tuesday, HL Lordson Anal said that JBA vice-president Saka Hopeson and secretary K Lulu Monsarig recently admitted to the media that the non-locals in question have already been in the electoral rolls and MGNREGS beneficiary list since 2007 and stated that they do not need to get ILP pass.

Terming the statement of the two JBA leaders as unfortunate, Lordson said that issuing ST certificates and providing entitlement under different schemes to those non-locals not only violates the guidelines of MGNREGS but also the Article 371(C) of the Constitution of India.

He drew attention of the government to look into the matter so as to take up necessary steps to resolve it.

They had already submitted complaint letters to the officials concerned in this regard but no actions have been taken up till date.

A case is also pending in this regard in the High Court, he said.

Whether there are ST tags or not against their name in the MGNREGS beneficiary list is not necessary.

The important question is how arid why they were issued job cards under MGNREGS and how their names were included in the electoral rolls in the ST area, he said, while terming it as a corrupt act on the part of some individuals through deduction of certain percentage out of benefits meant for those non-local beneficiaries.

He then demanded stringent actions against the then JBA chairman JS Angam Anal, his fellow office bearers, officials of district programme coordinator Chandel and BDO Chandel for enlisting non locals from Bihar, Rajasthan and other states in the beneficiary list of MGNREGS for Chandel district without any official process of transferring their names from their native states.

These non-locals are running shops in Chandel district by obtaining trade licence from the ADC Chandel and the government authority should award befitting punishment for the corrupt act of some individuals and officials for some mere monetary benefits, he added.

The former chairman also said that wages for the 76 non-local job card holders from 2007 to 2017 amount to around Rs 1.9 crore and he has declaration documents signed by those non-locals that they did not get any wages for MGNREGS.

The same amount was withdrawn by officials of MGNREGS district programme coordinator of Chandel district and JBA chairman JS Angam Anal, he said and alleged that JBA vice-president Saka Hopeson collected Rs 150 each from the ration card holders for making cards.

Terming such corrupt practices as a direct violation of the rights and opportunities of the indigenous people, he expressed hope that the government will investigate the matter and take up appropriate action against those involved in this scam.

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