SRES refutes Bernard’s claims on MGNREGA wage delay
SHILLONG, April 9: The State Rural Employment Society (SRES) has dismissed allegations made by state BJP vice president and Tura MDC Bernard Marak, who accused the government of misleading the public regarding delayed payments to job card holders. In a statement, the Mission Director of SRES clarified that under the MGNREGA scheme, wage payments are directly credited to the State Nodal Account (SNA) by the Central Ministry. Funds are transferred directly to the beneficiaries’ accounts via the Aadhaar-Based Payment System (ABPS) through Fund Transfer Orders (FTOs). As MGNREGA wages are 100 per cent funded by the Centre, no funds are routed through the state government or State Treasury, eliminating the possibility of delays due to state-level fund transmission, as alleged. The Mission Director further explained that timely wage disbursement relies on the prompt submission of electronic Muster Rolls (eMRs) by Village Employment Councils (VECs), and strict adherence to the T+8 timeline by all concerned Block officials. “Only in rare instances, when funds in the SNA are exhausted, FTOs cannot be processed. However, once the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) sanctions fresh funds, they are automatically processed,” the statement added. The department also highlighted that ABPS has been mandatory since January 1, 2024, and no payments can be made unless a job card holder is ABPS compliant. “In addition, all SRES District Implementation Divisions and SRES Block Implementation Divisions are to ensure that enough awareness is generated to all beneficiaries on the need to enroll under Aadhaar, link with their bank accounts and map on NPCI mapper,” it informed. It was further informed that as of now, 59.77% of total workers and 75.90% of active workers are ABPS compliant. Officials were also advised to ensure proper attendance recording and to avoid deleting any eMRs once attendance is marked.
Rynjah eatery under fire over hygiene violations
SHILLONG, April 9: Rajshree Sweet and Snack, an eatery located in Rynjah, is set to receive an Improvement Notice under Section 32 of the Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006. This follows a surprise inspection by Assistant Commissioner of Food Safety, DBS Mukhim, who found the establishment in an unhygienic state. Mukhim stated that the notice will be officially served on Thursday, giving the eatery five days from Wednesday to carry out the necessary improvements. A spot fine will also be imposed for failing to comply with previous directives, including the non-display of manufacturing and expiry dates on the sweets being sold. Additionally, Mukhim shared that she was informed by the Officer-in-Charge of Rynjah Police Station about an FIR filed by the Hynniewtrep Integrated Territorial Organisation (HITO) Shillong City, regarding poor hygiene conditions at the eatery. However, she clarified that the inspection was part of routine checks and not in response to any complaint lodged by pressure groups. In the FIR, HITO Shillong City president Banpyntngen Syiemlieh pointed to serious hygiene lapses discovered during a joint inspection with the Dorbar Shnong of Rynjah. He also raised concerns about the eatery operating without valid trading licenses and the absence of documentation or labour licenses for its workers. Referring to the recent food poisoning deaths of two students from the state in Karnataka, Syiemlieh urged the authorities to take swift action to avoid similar tragedies.