IMPHAL: The All Tribal Chiefs’ Forum, Manipur (ATCFM) has decided not to go ahead with its proposed indefinite economic blockade from midnight of Monday following the assurance given by the State Government of Manipur.
Leaders of ATCFM and the representatives of the state government held a meeting on Monday to resolve the stalemate arising out of the MGNREGA in the hill districts of Manipur.
“The talk was successful and hence we have decided not to impose the indefinite economic blockade,” said the ATCFM.
On March 3, the chiefs’ body had a meeting of various hill-based organisations here and took the decision to impose the indefinite economic blockade.
The chiefs forum had demanded the payment of the wages and cost of material components under MGNREGA scheme.
According to the organisations, since the funds are being routed through the Manipur State Rural Development Agency, there have been anomalies in the implementation of MGNREGA resulting in the delay of payment of wages or cost of material components. Less than 20 percent has been paid for the financial year 2013-2014, said the forum.
MGNREGA has failed to deliver goods to the poor masses in the hills of Manipur in time due to mismanagement of the schemes by dislocating the funds to different government agencies, who in return fail to co-ordinate the schemes, it had said.
The forum had also urged the district authorities to release the remaining funds under MGNREGA and make immediate payment to the village beneficiary committee at the grass root level. (NNN)