We have been reflecting on how Centrally sponsored schemes are generally mismanaged in the State for one or the other reason. In one of the editorials, we had suggested that the State Government should change its culture of undermining the centrally sponsored schemes in the interests of the people of the State.
A very disappointing case come to light recently is that of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme. Under this scheme lakhs of people in the State have been issued labour cards which guarantees employment to each card holder in a family for 100 days in a year. More than one person can work against one card but the total labour days will be restricted to one hundred days. Generally, these registered labourers are provided work in constructional enterprises going on in the State. Those entitled to be give the card are generally persons below poverty line or the poorest of poor. The cards are given by the Block Development Officers/VLWs on block level or district level. Reports have come in that enormous amount of wages to these labourers is outstanding against the Rural Development Department as wages to the labourers have not been paid for several months in the past. According to available reports amount to the tune of 314.5 crore rupees on account of the wages of labourers under the scheme are pending for about a year in the past.
The exact purpose of this scheme (MGNREGA) is to provide assured daily wages to the labourers so that they are able to meet their requirement of daily bread. A labourer must receive his wages in the evening to carry home the bread for his family. But this very purpose is defeated by deferring payment not for days but for months. Nothing is more cruel and inhuman. In the first place, the normal wages for an unskilled labourer in the open market is something about rupees three hundred to three hundred and fifty per day. As against this the labourers engaged under the said scheme are paid only rupees 157 per day. This is the first injustice done to them. They accept it because it is assured at lest for one hundred days in a year. Officials in Rural Development Department put forth the plea that funds have not been released by New Delhi and hence no payments could be made. The result is that poor labourers are put to hunger and destitution. Is that the purpose for which the scheme was launched?
This issue has many aspects. Firstly the finger has to be raised to the source agency meaning the Union Government for not releasing funds in time for payment to the labourers knowing that these payments cannot be delayed. If the source agency has any doubts about proper implementation of the scheme, it should have taken up the issue with the State Government and resolved it in the interests of the daily wagers. There are complaints of bogus enlistment of labours at the level of BDOs besides other irregularities resulting in siphoning off crores of rupees. We are not sitting on judgment and do not intend to open the issue for inquiry. That is a matter between the State Government and the Union Ministry of Rural Development which has sponsored the scheme. Our immediate concern is that lakhs of poor labourers who have rendered their labour are starving for want of payment of their wages. Any misappropriation of funds whether true or false is not their concern and they have nothing to do with it.
We have with us district and block-wise data of outstanding payments that run in crores of rupees. Significantly, Jammu surpasses Kashmir division in accumulated arrears in this behalf. Statistics show that a whopping amount of Rs 314.21 crore was the liability of the RDD under MGNREGA Scheme, for which over 6.02 lakh job cards have been issued to the labourers/ workers in Jammu region alone by various BDOs. The figures also indicated that nearly 4.10 lakh cumulative number of house holds was provided employment/ job during 2013-14, ending March 2014. Out of the total liability under MGNREGA scheme, Rs 264.21 crore pertain to Jammu region, comprising of 10 districts, whereas, in Kashmir, the liability is just nearly Rs 50 crore as each block were provided good amount for clearance of payments of labourers.
It is beyond our comprehension that the Government will behave so callously against the poor sections of people by almost cheating them of their wages. There are complaints against BDOs, Village Level Workers and Assistant Commissioners. Many a time the deprived labourers have protested but their plea has not been heard. The Government should formally initiate an inquiry into the complaints of corruption by officials and clear the mess they have created. Then the Government cannot hide behind the excuse of elections and hence delay in release of funds. The malaise appears to be much deeper than what seems at surface. The Government should initiate inquiry into the entire affair and simultaneously impress upon the Central Government to release funds on this account and disburse the arrears of payment to the labourers without delay.
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