DIMAPUR, DECEMBER 13 (MExN): The Nagaland State Village Development Board Association (NVDBA) has cautioned that it would be forced to resort to any means of agitation including indefinite closure of all concerned banks in the state if the wages of MGNREGA workers held up in State Bank of India across the state are not released by December 20.
In a representation to the Assistant General Manager, SBI, Nagaland, the association’s Vice President, Dr Imtinungba and General Secretary Manthungo Kikon stated that the state government has already released the MGNREGA fund for payment to the workers and the department of Rural Development has since credited the fund in the respective VDBs for payment to workers. However, it alleged that the SBI branches have withheld the fund citing demonetization and have refused to release the same.
The association said all VDBs in the state have executed works through job card holders who are demanding the payment of their wages.
The representation also stated that unlike other parts of the country, Nagaland is still following the old system whereby the VDBs draw the MGNREGA money from their account and make payment to the job card holders. But due to non release of the money by the banks, there has been direct impact on the livelihood of job card holders, especially at the time of festive season. Non release of the money to all VDBs in the state will lead to serious repercussions, it stated.
The representation also mentioned that the Nagaland State VDB Association cannot remain a mute spectator to the plight affecting lakhs of poor villagers who have been deprived of their hard earned wages for their livelihood and therefore appealed the AGM, SBI Nagaland to intervene in the matter and release the money without any further delay.
The association meanwhile informed that the AGM, SBI Nagaland, Thangboi Lunkim has assured to extend all possible help for early release of the money. It may be mentioned that there are 1238 VDB villages and a total of 4,25,000 MGNREGA job card holders in Nagaland.
Stating that there was special release of fund for Hornbill Festival and cash payment of salary to the police personnel and also to the pensioners, the association demanded that some alternative must be worked out in the case of MGNREGA job card holders.
