Honorarium to workers yet to be disbursed
SHILLONG: The delay in the payment of honorariums to Data Entry Operators (DEOs) and Database Administrator (DBAs) has hindered the completion of the Socio Economic and Caste Census in West Khasi Hills.
As per reports, the local vendors Katz Enterprise owned by one Donkupar J Katrai has appointed more than 100 local youths for the census and has failed to pay their full honorarium as per the agreement.
The local vendor was supposed to pay the honorarium every month as per the agreement.
However, it has been more than two years, the youth who have been appointed as DEOs and DBA for the project are yet to get their dues.
As per the information, the vendor had directed the DBAs of the various centres in Mairang, Mawthadraishan, Mawshynrut and Nongstoin to immediately upload the various datas to the NIC website so that they would get their full payment.
As per the directive, the DBAs uploaded the enumeration data, supervision data and correction data of the census.
“Despite complying with their directive, none of the DBAs got their pending dues as assured by the local vendors,” the affected youth said.
According to them, what was worse is that the vendor terminated the service of few of the DBAs without paying their dues even though they were supposed to remain till the completion of the census.
“We have taken up the issue with the West Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner and also Commissioner and Secretary in charge of Community and Rural Development department Freeman Lyngdoh,” the affected youth informed.
They informed that the two officials took up the matter with the Indian Telephone Industries Limited (ITIL), a central public sector unit which is the main implementing agency of this project.
“The Central Public Sector unit has informed that they have already release funds to vendors to pay the pending honorarium,” the affected youth said.
The two officials then took the matter with the local vendor who denied of receiving any funds from the Indian Telephone Industries Limited, they said.
“The census project now has landed into the problem due to the delay in the release of the honorarium of the Database Administrators and Data Entry Operators,” the affected youth said.