Acting upon a report published in The Pioneer on May 14, the Department of Rural Development of the Government of India has directed the Panchayati Raj Department of Odisha to provide a detailed report on the issues of nonpayment of wages to labourers under the MGNREGS.
The news in The Pioneer had stated that the tribals of Sunabeda and Soseng panchayats of Nuapada district have not been paid their wages for months and the wage rate has been reduced to Rs 275 from Rs 456 assured before the commencement of work.
On receiving the letter from the Panchayati Raj Department to comply on the issue raised, the district administration submitted a detailed report on May 16, where it agreed that the points raised in the news are true and there is a delay in payment.
“Delay in payment is the main issue here. It is a fact that due to banking problem, fund crunch from time to time and the lWE movement, the administration is not able to make the wage payment in time. Poor internet connectivity is another major problem for executing timely FTO,” the compliance report of the district states.
The report further mentions that Sunabeda and Soseng panchayats remained segregated from the main land due to rough hilly surface communication. It was a safe haven for the lWE hide up to 2013. Movement of Government officials was restricted. However, after regaining of the control of this area by the CRPF, developmental activities resumed.
MGNREGS work started on small scale in 2013-14, and due to fund crisis in the year 2014-15, adequate employment could not be provided to the jobseekers.
About the reduction of the rate of payment from Rs 456 to Rs 270, the compliance report states that it was reduced due to a decision of the State Government. “Up to 31 March 2016, in the drought-affected districts, daily wage was paid at the rate of Rs 226 (Rs.174 + 30% extra). A jobseeker was getting Rs 456 for hard soil before March.
But this enhanced payment has been stopped after 31 March 2016,” argues the report.
The district authorities have assured that the payment would be made immediately to the labourers who have worked in the projects.
“District administration is taking utmost care to provide employment to the jobseekers of Sunabeda and Soseng GPs in spite of all infrastructural constraints,” states the report.
But it does not speak anything about the labourers who have worked in the project without applying for job in writing or in the C-1 form.