Shiban Khaibri
We, in this state are rather appearing to be more interested in political developments or you call them “political routines” than in non political, mainly economic issues. Through these columns, this writer has many a time, shared the anguish and the problems of the workers, labourers and even salaried groups for not getting their monthly or periodic dues in time which frustrates, rather violates, the purpose of engaging such work force by the government and also , therefore, makes a mockery of the vital associated concepts of accountability and responsibility. Whether these are daily wagers, unconfirmed employees, ad-hoc employees or even “permanent” employees, many of them shall complain of not getting their wages and salaries for months together. The question is – but why?
It is interesting to note that the flagship scheme of the Central Government to provide 100 days guaranteed wage employment job in a financial year to every rural household in India under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) having been implemented in the state, not exactly around the same time as most of the other states did, and when in 2008 whole of the country saw its implementation, is not having a smooth sail so much so that the basic norms of the structure of the scheme stand grossly violated , of course, not as a willful administrative act but on account of mismanagement of this scheme. The people engaged in this scheme purely on the basis of providing employment have not been paid wages for months together as against in stipulated time as per the crux of this scheme. At the end of the month of April this year, the nonpayment issue turned serious in the sense that All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC) which is the representative frontline body of Panchs and Sarpanchs in our state, has taken up the issue at the concerned levels for nonpayment of the wages to the labourers in the rural areas even for as much as six months after the “completion” of the developmental works in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The stipulation is that within a maximum period of 15 days after the completion of the assigned jobs, the labourers are to be paid their dues, otherwise the very purpose of the scheme gets defeated. The fact of liquidity or cash payments going into the hands of the rural labourers generates economic activity in the specified areas as wage incomes spent, boost demand of basic goods and services matched with their supply and the resultant sustenance of individual families gets a push. Highlighting the status about this social security scheme in our state about the nonpayment of the wages has been made known to the Central Government by AJKPC, in particular bringing into the notice of the Union Finance Minister and the Prime Minister. It is a matter of fact that the state has always been conventionally looking towards the Central Government in matters of funds, aids, grants and even money to meet the payment of salaries and pensions for sections of its own employees when such funds should have been generated by the state on its own by widening the tax net as there is ample scope for the same which could boost the revenue earnings of the state. These in turn could be used not only for running its cost of governance including wages, salaries and pensions but taking care of building infrastructural net work for developmental activities. That requires bold political will and a professional approach with an innovative vision and it is hoped that the present dispensation could make a start, of course, in a gradual way and take bold decisions in a professional spirit.
How does the state, otherwise account for the mounting liabilities of nearly over Rs. 400 crores in the form of outstanding wages and ancillary costs under the much talked of the scheme especially when only in the first week of April this year, the Central Government released “its share ” of funds amounting to Rs, 12230 crores to the states for this rural employment flagship scheme . The NDA Government was asked by the Supreme Court to expedite releasing of the required share of funds for the scheme and such a huge sum released in one go for the first time for MGNREGA underlines the importance accorded by the present Government at the centre to the scheme. Union Rural Development Minister is on record having said that the fund release was going to take care of the pending wages and expenses liabilities for the previous financial year, ie; 2015-16 and the current financial year 2016-17 as well since the Government was committed to ensuring of the fulfillment of the programme objectives. It is learnt that the state has got its share to run the scheme effectively plus another Rs. 200 crore has been released to undertake other developmental activities in the state which could generate added employment in the areas concerned. Under the scheme, the reasons of delay in payments of wages have to be analyzed as timely wage payment is critical to the success of the programme.
The financial year 2015-16 registered an expenditure under the scheme to the tune of Rs. 41,371 crore, the highest so far since its inception and more than Rs. 30,200 crore have gone towards payment of wages alone. 95% of payments during the period under reference have been made through electronic fund management system. It is pertinent to note that technical hitches and not the paucity of funds have resulted in nonpayment of wages to the people engaged under the scheme or the red tape is standing in between the beneficiaries and the administration in our state which must be soon resolved.
As is known, this scheme was not initially tailored to bring about marked changes short of doing wonders in rural areas like eradication of abject poverty or to fight seasonal unemployment or to create sustainable assets in as much as it was made out as a vote getting largesse and this “hen” laid golden eggs as expected for two consecutive general elections for a particular party since no specific works apart from rampant digging to make drains and ponds, were allotted to them. These drains and ponds were getting back to their original shape in rainy season. As this country has the lowest percentage of skilled people in the world, it is hoped that more and more youth could be skilled and the requisite trainings could be arranged for them at a centre by combining nearby 5 to 10 villages for the purpose so as to be managed by the trainees to reach such centers to train themselves as electricians, plumbers, fitters, masons, carpenters, drivers, mechanics, etc; and get themselves engaged into meaningful developmental activities for their individual benefit as also for the society. These skilled ones are always in great demand and constitute the backbone of the human resources for the developmental activities and how MGNREGA could be utilized for this vital purpose must be undertaken by the state governments, especially by our state government. In our state, these skilled labourers too are in great demand. It is also a fact, and needs not be contested on just the surmises, that our state is reasonably well placed, if not better placed, in our rural areas, in terms of the levels of living conditions and the average family incomes as compared to the states of Bihar, UP, MP, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, or those states currently reeling under successive severe drought conditions and we, in our state could utilize this scheme for skilling more youth and creating useful durable and sustainable assets including individual assets which means taking up of more works under individual capacity. More participation of rural people in public works which leads to natural resource management and engaging people especially in areas where irrigation facilities are unavailable, to undertake different works like under the PM Krishi Sinchai Yojna for arranging irrigation facilities for non irrigated areas could be mooted and started in our state especially in Jammu division. That speaks for no expected lackadaisical approach towards MGNREGA from the state administration. Looking to the criticism about this scheme across the country in matters of irregularities in job cards, cases of corruption, proxy attendance, creating increasing inequalities, basically an election card to being a financial drain on our economic resources, the fact remains that this scheme, if implemented seriously and professionally, could turn out to be bringing in much changes in the rural sector by benefitting the rural labourers and individual rural families in the country.
For MGNREGA to flourish and prove beneficial, besides achieving its objectives, it must be linked with various social security schemes launched by the Central Government like Jan Dhan Yojna, Atal Pension Yojna and other life and accident insurance schemes but implemented only for deserving and the needy people and not treating this scheme as the one to benefit the undeserving and those not otherwise eligible.
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