Govt failed to give 100-day job to labourers: Cong

Raipur, June 26, 2013

Congress on Wednesday alleged that the government had failed to give at least 100-day job to labourers under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA). “The figures of last couple of years confirm that that very few families got 100-day job. In this scenario, how come the government claims of giving 150-day job to labourers,” asked Congress spokesperson Rajesh Bissa.

He pointed that labourers of Bastar were facing acute job crisis as the government failed to effectively implement MNREGA in the tribal region. “In 2010-11, only 1.87% families of Bastar got 100-day job. The condition in 2011-12 and 2012-13 was equally worse as only 2.94% and 3.89% families got 100-day job,” he said.

“In 2013-14, only 293 families out of 23099 job cardholder families got 100-day employment. This is the reason the people of Bastar are unable to link to mainstream life, women and children are becoming victim of malnourishment and naxalism is expanding rapidly,” he added.

He alleged that the labourers were not getting 100-day employment due to prevalence of corruption and irregularities in works carried out under MNREGA. 

“According to rules, at least 60% of the allotted fund under MNREGA should be disbursed as labour payment and 40% on materials but due to grafts, none of the rules is being followed. The classic example of MNREGA rule violation is Narayanpur where in 2010-11, Rs 456 lakh was paid to labourers and Rs 503 lakh was spent on materials. Till date, the government has not taken any action into this scam,” he said.

“Instead of hiding its incapability the government should wipe out corruption and irregularities from MNREGA works and take stern action against officials engaged in grafts and scams,” he said.