Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Aug 12: Thousands of poor and hapless workers have remained unpaid by the Rural Development Department (RDD) in various Blocks of Jammu region as the Government has failed to clear its liability worth over Rs 205 crores .
Highly placed sources in the RDD told the Excelsior that the amount of liability would be around Rs 375 crores in the entire State but Government released some funds this year and in many districts about 40 to 45 % liability of wage component claimed to has been cleared. The money was though for executing new works under MG-NREGA, yet following heavy pressure of the public representatives, the Department released funds for the clearance of old liabilities of labour/ wage component while material component liability is still un-cleared. Many contractors and traders from which the RDD officials purchased material, have also remained unpaid for years together.
Giving details, sources said that in Jammu division alone NREGA liability as on March ending 2016, was to the tune of about Rs 382 crores but the Government released about Rs 214 crores for the 10 districts of Jammu region this year and about 40 percent of these funds are being utilized for clearing old liabilities. Material component was the priority of the department.
Data compiled from various districts revealed that in Jammu district alone, NREGA liabilities worth over Rs 33 crore are still pending.
ACD Jammu Showkat Mehmmod Malik when contacted said that the liability of Jammu district was Rs 70 crore as on March 2016. This year the district received funds to the tune of Rs 37 crores under this scheme and some old liability was cleared. Even till today, the liability of all the 20 RDD blocks of Jammu district is around Rs 33 crores. Majority of the funds cleared pertained to labour component. He said some funds are being utilized for the execution of new works allotted in various blocks.
In district Rajouri, NREGA liability of Rs 39.10 core is pending as on date. There are 18 blocks in Rajouri, and in all the blocks the wages of labourers worth lakhs and even crores are pending.
According to ACD Rajouri, Noor Alam, the liability in Kotranka is worth Rs 5.35 crore, in Dangri Rs 1.52 crore, Darhal Rs 5.08 crore, Doongi Rs 49.35 lakh, Kalakote Rs 2.85 core, Khawas Rs 1.76 crore, Rajouri block Rs 6.72 crore, Lamberi Rs 40.61 lakh, Mogla Rs 86 lakh, Nowshera Rs 1.30 crore, Panjgrain Rs 49 lakh, Palangar Rs 1.54 crore, Qila Darhal Rs 1.27 crore, Budhal Rs 91 lakh, Seri Rs 99.75 lakh,Seot Rs 81.57 lakh, Sunderbani Rs 1.26 crore, Thannamandi Rs 2.01 crore and in Manjakote block it is worth Rs 1.99 crore.
In Kishtwar district, the liability worth Rs 40 crore is the highest in any district of the region. The liability of district Doda is worth Rs 35 crore, Ramban Rs 11 crore, Reasi Rs 7.50 crore, Poonch Rs 12.10 crore, Samba about Rs 10 crore, Kathua Rs 13. 50 crore and in Udhampur district worth over Rs 10.23 crore.
Though some of the ACDs avoided to provide data but the figures compiled from the Directorate have revealed that in many blocks, the old liabilities cleared were less as projected. The VLWs in many blocks are also avoiding to provide the lists of the workers engaged for uploading in the system for the fear of being exposed. The online system has been made mandatory by the Union Rural Development Ministry in all the districts and blocks but many field staff members were not cooperating and provided lists. In Thannamandi block of Rajouri, six VLWs were recently attached for not providing lists to the block offices for uploading .
Director Rural Development Department Jammu, Pardeep Kumar when contacted disclosed that the total liability of the department under MG-NREGA in district Jammu as on March 31, 2016 was to the tune of Rs 382.24 crores. He further said that during current financial year, the Jammu region received funds under this scheme to the tune of Rs 214.85 crores. He said the old liability pertained to the last 3-4 years. But entire amount can not be utilized to clear whole old liability. He said some funds are being utilized by the department to provide work to the labour class and majority of the amount cleared pertains to wages of labourers only and not material component.
When asked that as per guidelines of NREGA the worker should get his wages in the evening or the next day or maximum within 14 days, then why they were kept unpaid for 3-4 years, the Director said he has taken over the charge recently, the officers earlier posted should have followed the guidelines.
When asked about the reason for creation of this huge liability, Pardeep Kumar said certainly the works have been allotted beyond the sanctions. If the officials at the helm of affairs will go beyond the target, under political pressure or other considerations, the liability will certainly be generated. He claimed that department is trying its best to bring transparency and for this reason online data is being prepared. In some areas there is internet/ connectivity problem and such remote areas are under the process of making online. But all the data would be up-linked and system is likely to be made online shortly throughout the region, the Director added.
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