MGNREGA Commissioner Rajeshwari B has directed the Deputy Development Commissioners of all the districts through a letter that for the labourers up to the age of 65 years, who have worked under MGNREGA for at least 15 days in a financial year, there is a provision to pay the amount of ex-gratia grant to his/her legal heir/accidental worker in case of death or accidental death or unnatural death (including murder) or dismemberment in that financial year and subsequent financial year. For this, a total budgetary provision of Rs 10 crore has been made from the State fund for ex-gratia grant for the financial year 2021-22.
MGNREGA is working in the State on the lines of ‘Zindagi Ke Saath Bhi and Zindagi Baad Bhi’. All possible cooperation is being provided by the State Government to the labourers associated with this. Not only is there a guarantee of providing 100 days of employment to them, but the State Government is standing with them. Everyone is becoming a participant in their happiness and sorrow. This is the reason why the government is moving ahead with the mantra “Jeevika bhi, Jeevan bhi”. An initiative has been taken to strengthen the rural economy of the State and to provide employment to the villagers through this scheme.
The government has decided to provide employment to the rural and migrant workers of the State in their villages and towns under the MGNREGA scheme. It was told by the MGNREGA commissioner that the workers working under the MGNREGA scheme belong to the poorest families of the State. When such a worker dies due to natural death or unnatural causes, the financial condition of the family becomes absolutely pathetic and they are not given the benefit of any kind of ex-gratia grant by the Central Government. In such a situation, it has been decided that the labourers who have worked under MGNREGA for at least 15 days in a financial year up to the age of 65 years, will die in that financial year and in the next financial year, or in case of accidental death or unnatural death (including homicide) or amputation of limb, the amount of ex-gratia grant will be paid to his legal heir/labourer affected by accident in the following manner –
1. In case of accidental death or unnatural death (including murder) or permanent disability/mutilation, amount Rs 75,000
2. In case of partial handicap due to accident, amount Rs.37,500
3. Amount Rs 30,000 in case of normal death
4. Rs 50,000 as payment of ex-gratia grant to the dependents of the deceased who died by drowning in the Dobha constructed under the MGNREGA scheme.
The MNREGA commissioner has directed the Deputy Development Commissioners of all the districts to identify all such dead workers suffering from accidents and provide the list to the department within a week and it has also been directed that in the event of any such incident a detailed local investigation should be done immediately and if the case is found to be true, the amount should be made available to the dependent/victim within 24 hours.
A total of 19.45 lakh labourers have been provided employment under MGNREGA and 467 lakh man-days have been created in the current financial year 2021-22 so far. In order to provide employment to every willing family and labourer in their village and tola as much as possible, the government has set a target of implementation of at least 5 to 6 schemes in each village tola. For this, special focus is being laid on the implementation of schemes launched by the state government like Nilambar-Pitamber Jal Samridhi Yojana, Birsa Harit Gram Yojana, Veer Shaheed Poto Ho Khel Yojana, Didi Bari Yojana etc.
In these schemes, emphasis is being laid on creation of quality assets by providing timely employment to all the workers. Along with providing employment to all the willing workers, emphasis is being laid on the timely implementation of all the above schemes started by the state government. At the same time, water conservation and plantation work is being implemented scientifically in mission mode.