The State Government on Tuesday assured MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) workers, who congregated here to highlight deficiencies and discrepancies in the successful implementation of the scheme, of rosy days in future.
“The department is committed to provide all benefits to workers under MGNREGA and a meeting will be conducted in February to fulfill demands raised by MGNREGA workers,” said Rural Development Minister Chandrashekhar Dubey while addressing around 4500 MNREGA workers.
The scheme has met hurdles primarily the delay payments to MGNREGA workers and a mismatch between demand and supply of jobs in rural areas of Jharkhand thus defeating the objective of the scheme to some extent. Significantly, the demand-supply mismatch is likely to inch towards equilibrium with the delegation of power albeit in a limited sphere by government departments to the panchayats.
“Powers elicited under Panchayati Raj are being delegated and our government has so far delegated powers of nine departments. Many works under these departments are actually meant for labourers,” pointed out Dubey who also happens to be Panchayati Raj Minister. Notably, delay in payments has been one of the areas of concern not only for the stake holders but also for a poor labourer that depends on the income made by participating in jobs given under MGNREGA. The delay in payments is said to be one of the reasons that leads to migration from rural areas to elsewhere.
“Payments under MGNREGA should be made in cash. If we can do so then MGNREGA will be counted among the most successful schemes. We being part of the government are making efforts in the direction,” maintained Agriculture Minister Yogendra Sao.
Sao added payments are not being made even after one year of getting job which has given rise to discontent among the workers and worse the workers are not even paid at market rate. The Panchayati Raj Minister promised to find a solution to the problems shared by MNREGA workers besides taking up the matter at appropriate forum in the larger interest of workers. Directory SIRD, RP Singh; Advisor to Commissioner of Supreme Court in Jharkhand, Balram, MGNREGA lokpal Gurjeet and office bearers of PACS (Poorest Area Civil Society) were present on the occasion.