NEW DELHI: As much as 99.23 per cent of the total wage payments were late in case of Meghalaya, under MGNREGA due to implementation issues and lack of banking infrastructure among others, Rajya Sabha was informed on Monday
As per the programme (MGNREGA) management information system, 62.42 per cent of the total wages paid under the employment guarantee scheme in the country got delayed, said Minister of State for Rural Development Ram Kripal Yadav.
Meghalaya (99.23 per cent) is followed, followed by Chhattisgarh with 92.26 per cent and Andaman and Nicobar with 90.80 per cent, the Minister added in his written reply.
According to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, the wage payments have to be made within 15 days of the completion of work. The wage payments have been delayed mainly due to implementation issues and poor spread of banking infrastructure among others, Yadav said. “All cases of delayed payments attract compensation of 0.05 per cent per day of delay, which is automatically calculated and paid by the state governments,” he said. Till July 21, the delay compensation of Rs 3.34 crore has been paid under the MNREGA, the minister added.
Our Tura Correspondent adds: Village Employment Councils in Garo Hills working under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act are being motivated to strengthen and expand their financial assets by setting up micro banks in the rural areas operated by self help groups (SHGs) which would help raise their financial capital by way of interest generated from money loaned.
The VEC members have also been asked to ensure month-wise planning is taken up and plantation works take place during the wet monsoon season.
These were some of the key ideas suggested to the VECs of the various Garo Hills development blocks during a weeklong visit by Commissioner and Secretary for C&RD, Govt of Meghalaya, P Sampath Kumar to ignite intrinsic motivation among the field functionaries, particularly the VEC members.
The visit assumes significance in the light of many village employment councils failing to attain the 100 days of work guaranteed each year under MGNREGA.
Complaints have dogged many VECs that the target of 100 work days is not being met and release of fund for the work is getting delayed. West Garo Hills district is alleged to be one of those failing to meet the target of hundred days.
“The beauty of this scheme (MGNREGA) is that the power of planning and implementation of works lie directly with the villagers and nowhere else exists such a scheme. We must ensure full utilization of this scheme,” said P Sampath kumar to a packed hall of VEC members at Zikzak and Betasing Blocks during his visit this week.
There were complaints from some VEC members about failure to reach the 100 days target and non-payment of salaries for the work undertaken. (With inputs from PTI)
