By Express News Service | Published: 03rd September 2017 08:20 AM |
NREGA work in progress in Srikakulam even though many of the workers haven’t got their wages for the last few months | Express
ELURU: The Centre’s apathy has dealt a big blow to the workers of National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) in West Godavari district. As the funds from the Centre have not been released to the district, the workers are almost starving for the last few months.The Centre has introduced NREGS to provide 100 days work to the poor labourer in the villages in a year when they have no other work. This scheme was implemented in the district and the State government engaged several daily labours in de-silting drinking water tanks, canals, and construction works of roads in rural areas during the summer season when they do not have work.
The scheme has been handed over to the District Water Management Agency (DWAMA). The DWAMA has identified 6.50 lakh people as daily labour in the district. The DWAMA has to pay `197 per day. However, on an average, the DWAMA officials paid `140 to the labour. So far, 4 lakh labours were there for the NREGS works. The payment is calculated on the quantity of work done by the labour. During the 2016-17 financial year, the government released `192 crore to the labours. However, from July this year, the Centre did not release the funds under NREGS. About 18,000 labours of NREGS who have bank accounts did not link up the Aadhaar numbers. These labours were to receive `1.36 crore from the government and this amount has been stopped due to non-linkage of Aadhaar to the accounts.
The Government has directly credited the wages to the labours who have linked their accounts to Aadhaar in the district. The wages have been stopped to the workers for the last three months i.e., June, July and August and about `15 crore have to be credited to the labours account. Earlier during start of the NREGS, a private organisation SINO paid the wages to the labourers directly in cash. Later, after some time, the workers were asked to open postal savings accounts. The labours get their pay-in-slip at the post office and get the cash whenever they completed their work. After that, the government asked the officials to open bank accounts for every NREGS worker in the district. The NREGS workers who opened the accounts are in a state confusion as to when their wages will be credited. Whether the amount has been credited is unknown and when they ask banks, they do not get a reply.
P Nagaiah, a daily labour of Komadavole village, said that over the last few months he is doing NREGS works. “I am totally in confusion over my wages. Whether the amount was credited in the bank or not I have no idea. Even I tried to ask the bank officials about my wages. They are scolding me whenever I ask,” he said. He said earlier, “We got the amounts through post offices and regularly received the money.” He requested officials to implement the post office account scheme again for their wages.
M Prabhakar Rao of Chataparru said, “I did the work daily and fully. I got only `80 to `100 per day for the work. The officials have not paid the full amount of `197. I have no alternative as there is no work outside except the NREGS. But I did not receive the wages over the last three months. How do we eke out our livelihood if the government does not pay the wages”, he asked.The DWAMA Project Director Mullapudi Venkata Ramana said that `15 crore has to to be paid to the workers as wages. The Centre has to release the funds and it will be paid within two or three days. This amount will directly be deposited in the accounts of the workers of NREGS. About 6 lakh workers are engaged in NREGS works.
Wage woes hound workers, dues mount to L54 crore
Kakinada: The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) work has come to grinding halt in East Godavari district due to non-payment of wages worth H54 crore. The work of NREGA came to a halt in the district in June 2017. Official sources said that over 15.16 lakh NREGA cards had been issued in the district of which 8.6 lakh cards were individual employment cards. During the year, 17,629 cards had been issued so far under NREGA. Officials informed that 130 lakh work days had been provided during the year.
Kakinada: The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) work has come to grinding halt in East Godavari district due to non-payment of wages worth H54 crore. The work of NREGA came to a halt in the district in June 2017. Official sources said that over 15.16 lakh NREGA cards had been issued in the district of which 8.6 lakh cards were individual employment cards. During the year, 17,629 cards had been issued so far under NREGA. Officials informed that 130 lakh work days had been provided during the year.
From December 2016 to May 2017, the Centre had granted Rs 231 crore as against the actual payment due which was at H285 crore, sources said. An NREGA worker, Dasari Veera Raghavaiah of G Vennavaram village, said that no work had been given under NREGA since June 2017. DWMA Project Director T Rajakumari said that pending funds would be released by two or three days. As soon as funds received, arrears would be disbursed. She said that NREGA work is being carried out in the district and 40,000 workers were working at various places.