MGNREGS wages even for ‘dead’

[1]

A dead man was among the beneficiaries and continued to ‘receive’ wages till recently under the MGNREGA scheme (guaranteeing rural poor 100 days of work a year).

The scheme seems to benefit only a few government officials and elected representatives in some parts of the state.

Beneficiaries in several villages in Virudhunagar district have alleged that they had not been paid even half the allocated amount and had staged a protested across the district.

Despite the fact that chief minister J. Jayalalithaa had recently increased the state’s share of daily wages by Rs 13, for this Centrally-sponsored scheme, thereby increasing it to Rs 132, the authorities allegedly pay only Rs 50-Rs 60 at several places, the villagers complain.

“There is no transparency in the disbursal of the wages as the authorities, including the panchayat president and clerk, decide how much a particular beneficiary would get.

The wages are delayed by more than 25 days and then they pay only Rs 50-Rs 70,” lamented Ms Adhilaksmi, from Sembatti village in Aruppukottai panchayat union.

Angry villagers of Pandhalkudi besieged the panchayat office for several hours on July 3 after the wages were delayed for more than 40 days. The same happened in Sembatti village.

“In Sembatti, the authorities pay ‘dead’ members, while in a few other villages beneficiaries’ thumb impressions were allegedly faked,” said Mr Chandramohan, Aruppukkottai CPI(M) union secretary.

Lack of strict vigil over implementation, nexus between lower-level officials and people’s representatives spoil the mandate of this great scheme, he grumbled.

A senior official in the rural development department said he was unaware of these happenings and ensured action if brought to his notice.