Last Updated on April 20, 2022 at 4:38 pm
The much hyped and talked about Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme seems to be vanishing in air due to unreleased payments in Jammu and Kashmir. Several people who have worked hard for these schemes in J&K are now left in dismal condition. Authorities have failed to provide their payments who have worked on the schemes in different parts of J&K.
As per reports, MGNREGA scheme has failed to provide any kind of assistance to its beneficiaries as payments of nearly Rs 200 crore for mason and material have not been released for the year 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 till date. The main aim of scheme for providing employment to people in rural areas in 100 days has gone in vain.
Due to the lackadaisical approach of authorities and officials concerned, nearly 40,000 people who worked on these schemes have been left to starve is now seeking the intervention of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. The issue was highlighted in Lok Sabha in March for demand of pending liabilities under MGNREGA for the year 2016-17 and 2017-18 be cleared as the people whose payment has been kept withheld, but no action has been taken till now. As per official figures, the payments worth Rs 79 crore are liabilities in Jammu district alone while the liabilities in total J&K will amount to over Rs 200 crore.
As per reports, government withheld the payment as MGNREG Act has been violated in the year 2016-17 and 2017-18 while executing the development works in rural areas of J&K and asked DCs to hold the investigation and submit the report.
Anil Sharma, president All J&K Panchayat Conference (AJKPC) told Excelsior that if some irregularities were made in the construction of works by defying the rules, it is not the fault of labourers or masons who worked on these schemes.
Director Rural Development Kashmir, Tariq Ahmed Zargar told Excelsior, that DCs have been asked to make committees for verification of works after the same the payments will be released.
