Phek, June 9 (MExN): The District Congress Committee Phek, taking serious note of the “excessive manipulation and misuse of the NREGS provision in the state by the DAN government and particularly by the MLAs in Phek District”, has filed an RTI in order to expose the actual state of affairs and take up the matter with the appropriate authority for strict action against defaulting persons or officials.
The DCC Phek, in a press statement issued by its president, Mikha Kenye, alleged that “DAN government has illegally and intentionally misused this rural-oriented scheme into party-oriented program. Unlike the other centrally sponsored schemes, the National Rural Employment Guarantee Program is strictly driven by an Act (NREGA) of 2005.”
The Committee stated that “In total disregard of this legal guarantee, the ruling MLAs have converted this legalized scheme into a political weapon against the Congress supporters before and after the last parliamentary and bye elections. For the first time the MLAs have taken over the responsibility of the VDBs in projecting and executing the developmental works of their liking in the rural areas.” It went on to allege: “VDBs approved schemes are overruled, work orders are issued by MLAs, machineries are used, work orders are issued to individual party workers, job cards are with hold, alarming discrimination in giving employment, work and wage payment denied or delayed, to name a few.” The DCC termed these as “highly objectionable and questionable in the court of law”.
The DCC Phek has directed all the ACCCs and conscious party workers in the district to remain vigilant and check the misuse of the NREGA program by “selfish persons and politicians” in their respective blocks and immediately report the same “in the larger interest of the rural people”. The DCC also cautioned the defaulting officers, VCCs and VDB secretaries, or other middle men, that should they stray away from the clear-cut operational guidelines laid down in the NREGA, 2005, out of their own volition or pressure from politicians, the “severe consequences of their misdeeds or misled will be borne by themselves”.
“Under no circumstances shall the Congress Party in the district allow anybody or authority to misuse or abuse such a unique program which is brought out by the vision-filled Party leaders with a view to revolutionize the nation by eradicating poverty and unemployment in the rural areas. The DCC shall go to the last extent to fight for the rights of the people,” the DCC Phek vowed.
