Dimapur, May 8 (EMN): The Nagaland Public Rights Awareness and Action Forum (NPRAAF) has passed a resolution at its executive meeting held in Dimapur on May 8 that it would “appeal the state government not to further delay transfer of wages to the MGNREGA workers as it invites penalty.”
The Forum has once again accused the state government of delaying the payment of the welfare scheme to the beneficiaries despite clarifications being made by the department of Rural Development that MGNREGA funds can’t be directly transferred to the job card holders if they don’t have bank accounts.
The NPRAAF has on Wednesday issues a statement claiming that the central government has released INR 54,36,50,000 to the state government as third instalment of 1st tranche of central assistance for the financial year 2018-19, besides INR 242, 75, 77, 000 that was released on April 8. It has appealed to the government not to further delay the payment of wages to the job card holders.
The forum stated that the centre would stop further release of fund if the state fails to transfer “fund to the MGNREGA workers within 3 days from the date of receipt of these fund along with the state share of 25:75” and that the state government would be liable to pay 12% interest for the period of delay beyond the specified period, which it can't afford.
The NPRAAF has appealed to the concerned department to immediately provide axes, shovels, spade etc. to the MGNREGA workers, claiming that such equipments are not provided despite “huge deduction for purchase” of materials. It also alleged that the job card holders in the state do not work for a minimum of 100 days as guaranteed under the scheme’s guideline.
The forum warned that it will not “hesitate to write to the ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) government of India for fund embargo and initiate legal prosecution against the corrupt.”
However, a reliable source from the department of Rural Development told Eastern Mirror that there is nothing more to say than what it had clarified a few days ago in response to NPRAAF’s accusation.
A government official had earlier told this newspaper in connection with the forum's claim of withholding MGNREGA fund that “direct benefit transfer (DBT) is good but due to the non availability of banking facilities, it may take more time.”
“Direct benefit transfer means money should go into the beneficiaries’ bank account (job card holders). In Nagaland, we have 74 blocks, out of which 32 blocks do not have banking institution. If there is no bank, how can they open a bank account?” the source had asked.
Regarding NPRAAF’s claim of not providing equipments like axes, shovels, spade etc. to the MGNREGA workers, the source said that it (equipments) is distributed only if the job card holders need them while carrying out their work connected to the scheme.
