Kohima, July 4 (MExN):The DCC, Kohima in regard to NREGS has alleged that NREGS' under Kohima district is a "farce programme".
It stated that NREGS’ aim is to solely enhance livelihood of the rural households, however, in Kohima district the DAN Government and Rural Development department have deliberately "flouted and twisted the NREGS standing rules and provisions and exploited the gullible villagers" (job card holders) to the fullest extend.
The Chairman and Secretary of NREGS Cell, DCC, Kohima in a press note stated: “These corrupt practices have become the order of the day, leaving the genuine job card holders high and dry. The villagers are kept at the mercy of the Concerned authorities.”
In the note, it stated that the scheme provides 100 days guaranteed wage employment in every financial year to every household so as to eradicate poverty and unemployment in the villages throughout the country. However, it is totally a different story in Kohima district.
Therefore, the NREGS cell has called upon the villagers not to remain docile and mute spectators but to come out and openly demand their wage money given by Central Government from the village authority and Government. Kohima District is fortunate to have received a handsome grant of Rs. 9400 lakhs under this NREGS program from 2007-2010.
“This is a huge money for poor villagers and if this allocated amount were judiciously utilized at the village level there would be a sea-change in our villages. But ironically, the job card holders in Kohima District are yet to reap the fruit of NREGS fund though it is implemented for three years now. Though Rs. 10,000/- is meant for each job card holder in a year, the villagers are not even seen a scrap of it in these three years of its implementation. So instead of alleviating their living status, the condition of the villagers is as miserable as ever,” the note stated.
It also added that the villagers need to know the NREGS legal provisions and assert their basic rights to get justice and at the same time. Moreover, the NREGS cell wants to know whether VDB and Village Council authorities as well as BDOs and Project Director, DRDA, Kohima undertake due diligent while implementing NREGS program in all the villages of Kohima District. “If they are not observing the rules and provisions, they are culpable and answerable to the public and Government of India.”
Further, it lamented that people have heard about NREGS Scheme and also know that it is one program that would bring great relieve to the villagers but still many do not know the actual content of NREGA that endows with fundamental rights to the villagers “to reap the harvest of NREGS program”.
Moreover, it added that the Act was passed by over 700 MPs in both Houses of Parliament resulted in the creation of an NREGS Operational Guidelines, 2005 which prescribed rules to be strictly followed so as to ensure that the wage money allocated by Delhi goes directly to the poor villagers who are job card holders. As such, the intended purpose of this unique scheme is to provide incredible earning opportunity to the villagers for their day to day needs which in other parlance is the primary NREGS objective whereas the so-called village development in various forms take a back seat. “…one should bear in mind that total transparency and accountability in NREGS implementation and greater participation of the general public in the villages is the hallmark of this program.”
The DCC, NREGS Cell in a bid to create awareness among the people has highlighted “few relevant NREGS Operational guidelines provisions relating to job card and wage payment”:-
(I).Eligibility for job card registration
(1) One must be an Indian citizen and local resident.
(2) One must be above 18 years of age.
(3) One must be an unemployed (Govt. employees are not eligible)
(4) One must be from a rural household/villager (urban household members are not allowed)
(5) One must be willing to do unskilled manual work.
(II). Legal provisions relating to job card
(1) Section 5.3.1 – Village authority must issue job card to every registered household. This is a critical document, which also helps to ensure transparency and protect villagers against fraud.
(2) Section 5.3.2 – Job card should be issued within 14 days of registration to the villagers.
(3) Section 5.3.4 – Job card will be in the custody of the household to whom it is issued.
(4) Section 5.3.5 – Job card once registered shall be valid for a period of 5 years.
(5) Section 5.3.6 – Mandatory that job card once registered shall have to be read out in Panchayat meeting to maintain transparency.
(6) Section 5.3.9 – For non-issuance of job cards to the villagers, complaint can be lodged to the Program Officer (BDO) for necessary action.
(7) Section 12.3.1(1) – Transparency & Social audit] – Job card registration shall be carried out at a special village meeting (in open public gathering).
(8) Section 12.3.1(4) – This open process of registration will prevent registration of fictitious/bogus/ineligible names.
(9) Section 12.3.1(6) – A form, with a tear-away receipt at the bottom, will be given to the registered villagers.
(10) Section 12.3.1(10) – The final job card list will be put up for public display at the village Panchayat office and the list is required to be updated every 3 months.
(11) Section 6.4.4 – All NREGS works will be executed by the job card holders.
(III). Payment of NREGS wages.
(1) Payment should be made in a public place on fixed days to ensure that there is no ambiguity regarding payments.
(2) Payment to the villagers by the village authority should be read aloud.
(3) A list detailing wage payment must be displayed in the public notice board prior to reading aloud of payment made to the villagers.
