The Centre has reminded the various states, including Jharkhand to appoint Ombudsmen to look after the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA).
The Ministry of Rural Development in its letter issued on the occasion of the labour Day on May 1 has told the States to furnish an updated information about the important vacancy by May 12 in view of the Supreme Court observation made on April 27 2017 in the matter of Swaraj Abhiyan Vs Union of India.
Meanwhile, MGNREGA Commissioner Siddharth Tripathi sought for some more time while putting onus on the Centre for the delay. “The ball is rolling. We should be in a position to appoint the Ombudsmen across the districts by June 15. In fact, it was the Centre whose representatives were to attend the high powered committee at the State level but they did not arrive,” said the official on Tuesday.
Tripathi pointed out that the committee has two representatives, each from the Centre and the State to name the Ombudsmen and thus the Government here this time had specifically communicated to MoRD to convey about the officials coming to attend the selection panel in advance. “It has been told so that we can get in touch with these officials and prepare accordingly,” said the MGNREGA Commissioner.
On the other hand a group of the rural job workers from latehar has raised hike of one rupee done in MGNREGA wages in the State. The workers in protest of the dismal revision done which is still about Rs65 less than the minimum wages fixed in Jharkhand have refunded the hiked amount to the Government.
“last year they had returned Rs5 which was hiked as MGNREGA wage in protest. This time again, the Government has cheated the labourers. They believe that the Government is in greater need of the money to fulfill the lusts of its corporate friends so the hiked amount is being refunded,” said Balram, a social activist.
However, the MGNREGA Commissioner termed the protest merely a drama. “They have been doing this drama for years. Their leaders should understand that in the State we are taking 99 per cent of works as personal assets creation in which the last beneficiary is the labourer himself. Though we are in agreement that the wages be revised and we have expressed this before the Centre also,” said Tripathi.
“There are 16 States where MGNREGA wage is more than minimum wages. The Centre is wary about this being done based on local political considerations and thus wants to ensure this first before the revision,” said the official.