Hoshiarpur 28 February- Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005 is completely plagued by irregularities and corruption. In this regard, Labor Party President Jai Gopal Dhiman strongly condemned the Punjab government for not getting payment for the material of the cattle shed built under MNREGA Job Card No. 159 in village Lalwan and said that despite putting pressure in the Mahilpur BDO office for the last 4 years, the money for the material of the cattle shed is not being deposited in his account and all this is being done deliberately, while the money of other people of the village has already come.
Dhiman told that on 03-02-2021, the work of cattle shed was started in the village at a cost of Rs 60,000 under Work ID No. 2607009091-IF-57050. In which 263 days of MNREGA labourer were spent and Rs. 42350 were spent on material component. The labourer has been waiting for the last 4 years. He borrowed the money for the material from the people around him and invested it, then the cattle shed has also been built.
He told that the poor labourer has to work on the same daily wage and has to eat the same food. This is not happening at one place. All this happens only with poor people, because they have something to say. Its complete record is approved by BDPO, MNREGA Project Officer and Punjab Government and Central Government. Then there is a strong structure inside MNREGA, but their efficiency in working is completely surrounded by corruption.
It is also true that there is an audit in MNREGA every year, yet the money for the material of MNREGA labourer did not reach his bank account. The question arises that did the government have to stop the payment of this labourer and then how did the rest of the labourers of the district get it? These errors raise many questions. Dhiman said that during distribution in MNREGA works, the work is also divided equally.
But according to the Act, 100% guaranteed work is the share of every worker. But those who are favourites of the workers take more advantage and the poor are left as victims of hatred and injustice. All this happens as per the wish of the MNREGA workers and not as per the MNREGA Act.
He said that when MNREGA workers meet the higher officials to get their rights, they have to face the scolding of the block level workers. Actually, due to delay in getting justice, the workers get frustrated and the corrupt people play with the rights of the workers by doing arbitrary things.
Dhiman also filed a complaint in this regard before the Honorable Chief Secretary, Punjab Government to get the pending payment of MNREGA workers.