At a time when the Centre is considering an increase in the wages for cardholders under the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) from `161 to `204 per day, the payment of wages in the State under this scheme remains erratic due to official inefficiency. Frustrated, MNREGS workers had protested recently, demanding payment on time.
A senior administrative officer said that the Central government releases cent per cent funds for labour component under the scheme while material component funds are shared in the ratio of 75:25 between centre and State.
About six per cent of total labour component fund is spent on administrative expenses. Deputy programming officer, engineers and computer operators are employed on contract for the scheme and paid from the administrative expense funds. Funds are also spent on purchasing power generator, stationary, cameras, fuel and other necessary items used for administrative works.
Works under the scheme include those related to water conservation and water harvesting- excavating ponds, drought proofing, afforestation and tree plantation, minor irrigation canals, irrigation for land owned SC-ST persons, renovation of traditional water bodies, de-silting of tanks/ponds/old canals, land leveling and development, flood control and protection and rural connectivity among others.
In Dehradun, 640 works were undertaken under the scheme since April, 2015 to January 5 this year with ` 6.67 crore already spent, 2141 works under process and `9.92 crores to be spent on ongoing projects in various blocks of the district.
Dehradun district development officer Sushil Mohan Dobhal said that `19.29 crore was received under the scheme in the current financial year of which `19.10 crore was spent so far. A total of 79, 461 job cards were issued under the scheme with jobs being provided to 14, 146 families. The department created 6.795 lakh human days. Social audit was conducted in 356 Gram Panchayats of the district to raise awareness and review the works. A total of 68, 449 job-card holders had opened their account in banks and post offices. A total of 848 families were given 100 days work in this financial year.
Dobhal further said that 27 works related to water conservation and water harvesting (digging of ponds); 25 minor irrigation works, 110 land development works -plantation, land leveling, 250 flood control and protection works, 61 works related to rural connectivity and 166 works approved by the officers of other departments concerned were completed in the district.
The Central Government had already directed the States to provide wages to the job card holders within 15 days of their work being completed under the scheme. Recently, MNREGS job cardholders in Tehri district protested and demanded timely wage payment.
Though there is provision for penalty for officials responsible for such anomalies, no penalty has been imposed on department officers despite delay in wage payments.