Many deceased persons availing MGNREGS benefits in Thoubal !
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, June 24 2012: Can people who have died four years back still get the benefits of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)? If the answer is no, then think again, because it is a reality in Manipur where Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Jairam Ramesh has categorically hailed as the number one state in terms of successful implementation of MGNREGS.

In Thoubal district of Manipur, people who are no more have been enjoying all the benefits of the scheme for the last four years.

Disclosing this to media, job card holders of Sangaiyumpham Part II Gram Panchayat under Khangabok Assembly Constituency in Thoubal district, said that one Md Hamitulla of Sangaiyumpham Part II Gram Panchayat, ward number II, Muslim Makha Leikai who died in 2009 was found transacting Rs 10,588 in 2011-12 .

Another person, Sorokhaibam Kumarjit who died in 2008 was also found transacting Rs 10,588 on January 30 this year with the help of a job card attached with the photo of a student pursuing her Engineering course in Lucknow.

One more deceased identified as Nongmaithem Ibobi of Lamding Cherapunjee was also found getting the benefits under the scheme.

The job card holders informed that one Khumanthem Premkumar of Lamding Khumanthem and Thongam Ramchandra of Lamding Cherapunjee, who are not in position to work under MGNREGS and were never seen at work sites of MGNREGS on account of their hectic schedules were also found taking out their exact share of wages.

They further informed that work for only seven days in 2008-09 and six days in 2009-10 have been provided to them under the scheme.

However, for the year 2010-11 and 2011-12 no work has been provided so far.

In spite of that in the official website www.nregs.nic.in it has been mentioned that work under the scheme for 2010-11 and 2011-12 years had been carried out.

This is very unfortunate.

The aggrieved job card holders demanded that the wages of job card holders taken out without informing them since 2008 till date by Pradhan Md Wahidur Rehman; Ward number I member, Khumanthem Bina; member ward number II, Ningthoujam Lungsilto; Member ward number II Sanasam Sorojini and member ward number IV, Santosh should be handed over to the people, failing which legal actions would be initiated against them.

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