Pursuant to the Supreme Court’s order dated May 13 related to “adequate and timely” release of funds for the rural job scheme, MGNREGA, civil society members have written to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley seeking immediate release of the first tranche for 2016-17 of not less than Rs 17,000 crore.

“We have written to the Prime Minister, you and other senior leaders of the government in the past but have failed to even receive a response. We hope that the Supreme Court’s MGNREGA order will be duly obeyed and will result in immediate and appropriate action,” said the letter signed by the petitioner Yogendra Yadav of Swaraj Abhiyan and others such as Biraj Patnaik and Aruna Roy.

The letter also urged the Centre issue a notification for 150 days work in drought- affected States, as assured by it to the apex court, as also a fresh notification that ensures that workers in all States are paid no less than the State minimum wage.

“The State and Central governments must ensure people get work immediately and have no difficulty in getting their annual quota of 100 or 150 days of work and get paid within 15 days,” says the letter.

The apex court, in its order, had observed that “Since the NREG Act is a social welfare and social justice legislation the Government of India must ensure that its provisions are faithfully implemented by all concerned.”

The letter said shortage of funds for MGNREGA had resulted in immense suffering for workers across the country. For 2015-16, there was a pending liability of over Rs 12,000 crore. 

“The unfortunate part is that Rs 2,723 crore from this is with respect to the 10 drought-affected States where the unemployed perhaps need their wages the most”, said the letter, which has also been written to the Rural Development Ministry under which the scheme falls.

Related Topics
comment COMMENT NOW