Our Correspondent
Kohima | May 20
The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) today staged a dharna across the state in the respective DC office premises “to deliver the rights under MGNREGA to the people.”
In Kohima, after staging a dharna in front of Raj Bhavan, the NPCC submitted a memorandum to Governor P.B. Acharya and demanded that an impartial Inquiry Commission headed by a retired High Court Judge be constituted within a month’s time to investigate and take necessary and appropriate action to implement the Act effectively.
The memorandum stated there is a drought-like situation due to lack of money circulation in the rural areas across the state. It reminded that District Congress Committees submitted a representation demanding 100 days’ wage be realized to each entitled household, to their respective deputy commissioners on February 2, 2016.
However, the NPCC lamented there has been no reply till date and alleged that the state government has misused the Act by “refusing to give job cards to the employees, pressuring VDB Secretaries and VCCs to sign blank cheques, avoiding to conduct social audit, misinterpreting the meaning of convergence by diverting 50% of the MGNREGA money as VIP discretion and not implementing 100 days employment and wages as guaranteed in the Act.”
Addressing the gathering, NPCC president Kewekhape Therie alleged that “the state budget vanished within the council of Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries, MLAs, government employees and few contractors.”
He added that the NPF government has misinterpreted the meaning of convergence. “In the guidelines the meaning of convergence is understood, to convert other department funds to enhance the 100 days employment. But government has converted 50% of wages money into MLA discretion and are completely misused according to their whims for political party interest,” he said.
Therie also alleged that “50% of the fund was taken by minister, department and MLAs.” “Officers claim its top direction and top money. Officers also claim we are helpless as small government servants. Government has willfully violated the Act and Guidelines,” he said. “According to internet it shows state has drawn Rs. 199.47 crores during 2015-16. Where has the money gone if only 3 days wage was paid?” Therie asked.
The NPCC chief said that many VDB secretaries admit they were pressured to sign blank cheques. “When asked why one should sign knowing there is going to be corruption; they reply, that officers threaten them, that, the village fund will not be released,” he claimed.
Therie further said that it is wrong for the VDB Association to interpret MGNREGA guidelines saying 100 days wage is not mandatory. “100 days employment is guaranteed under the Act. MGNREGA is not just guideline alone but is an Act of Parliament,” he stated. He informed that the NPCC would continue their demand until job cards are distributed, 100 days wages achieved and the guidelines fully implemented without discrepancies.
Later, the Kohima District Congress Committee led by its president Kevi Vizo also submitted a memorandum to the Kohima Deputy Commissioner.
