States are taking their own time to pay delayed wages to MNREGA workers though the Centre has released funds following an admonition by the Supreme Court.
As per data available with the Union Rural Development Ministry for 2015-16, States owe a total of `1,040 crore of wage payments to MNREGA labourers. Nagaland has reported the highest wage bill at `290 crore followed by West Bengal (`157 crore), Jammu & Kashmir (`139 crore) and Bihar (`98 crore).
A senior official from the Ministry said that adequate fund has already been released to all the States with directions to clear all the pending wages to MNREGA workers by June, but it is a matter of concern that many States are yet to do so.
In May, the Supreme Court took serious note of the “unconscionable delay” in release of funds for MNREGA scheme.
The court directed the Centre to set up monitoring committees to ensure implementation of all social welfare legislation, including the food security law.
A Bench of Justices Madan B lokur and NV Ramana also pulled up the Centre for not giving compensation to workers for delayed payment for work under the MGNREGA in a drought-like situation, and said such apathy "does not behove a welfare state" and added that social justice has been thrown out of the window.
The apex court noted that it was extremely unfortunate that the Government had no provision for providing compensation to the workers. "It is regrettable that it cleared the pending wage bill for 2015-16 only during the pendency of the case," it said and ordered the Centre to release all outstanding funds for MGNREGA to the States. It directed it to pay compensation for delayed wages to farmers in drought-hit areas.