Bureaucrats with the involvement of contractors and politicians are trying tosabotage the MGNREGA scheme and Rs348.81 crore given to this flagship programme in Uttarakhand is being siphoned off.
This was revealed by Dehradun-based NGO, RlEK with the support of Public Transparency Fund (PTF), which is being led in India by ex-CJI MN Venkatachaliah.
To make MGNREGA successful RlEK is concentrating on four blocks of three districts, Mori in Uttarkashi, Jaunpur in Tehri and Chakrata and Kalsi in Dehradun. These are those blocks where presence of 19,000 bonded labourers was acknowledged by the State Government belonging to SC/ST status and all were below poverty line. It was started by the UPA to uplift the plight of these people, but the politicians and landlords being hand in glove with the bureaucrats are not allowing this flagship programme to be implemented on ground.
Under the project being run by RlEK and PTF, to keep the pressure up on the authorities and create awareness among the masses, “24 Rozgar Adhikar Satarkta Samitis” have been formed and it is through them the problems like job cards not being made, incomplete job cards being made, job cards of people not entitled being made, the remuneration not being given on time to the people who have worked, muster rolls not being filled at the place of work and manipulation of other records and other corrupt practices are being checked.
The basics of the programme are not being adhered to, like in the entire Uttarakhand not even one crèche was there, there were no medical facilities available at most of the MGNREGA sites were also pointed out.
RlEK team organised meetings, Jan Sunvai with the block development officers and sorted out the problems that were arising due to lack of awareness and ignorance. 120 RTIs were filed, through which answers to queries related to funds, work done, time taken to complete a work and money spent on it were asked. SHGs and federations created by RlEK in those areas play a proactive role in ensuring the right implementation of the programme.
“To curb these bungling RlEK shall approach Planning Commission and Ministry of Rural Development and if need be go to the courts to seek legal remedies,” said, RlEK chairperson Avdhash Kaushal.