Labourers associated with Grameena Krishi Coolie Karmikara Sanghatan staged a protest at Tipu Sultan Garden near the office of Deputy Commissioner here on Thursday.
The protesters were demanding the payment of pending wages for the work they did under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
The labourers alleged that various gram panchayats had dues of over four months. They held the Panchayat Development Authorities (PDOs) responsible for this unnecessary withholding.
“At least Rs. 1.40 crore is due to be paid to MGNREGA labourers by various gram panchayats in the district. In the last three months alone, 20,000 works have been completed. However, the Management Information System report has not been prepared for most of them,” a labourers’ leader said during the agitation.
Eight gram panchayats in Lingasugur taluk, 12 gram panchayats in Sindhanur taluk, 22 in Manvi taluk and 11 in Raichur taluk have job scheme dues.
“The officials, mainly PDOs, are defeating the purpose of the scheme. They neither understand the importance of the scheme nor do they realise the hardships of labourers when their payments are delayed. In some cases, eligible labourers are being denied work under the scheme,” another worker said. A memorandum was submitted to the office of Zilla Panchayat.
The labourers alleged that a number of gram panchayats
had dues of over
four months
