NREGA: 7 GPs get notice for not meeting target

The state government has issued notices to seven gram panchayats which have failed to generate employment for stipulated human days under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

Speaking at a meeting of the panchayat development officers here on Wednesday, in-charge executive officer of taluk panchayat, Muniraju, said that the PDOs concerned would be held responsible for not meeting the target under the ambitious job guarantee scheme. He said that the PDOs had been negligent in implementing the scheme.

“Last year, 11,067 human days of work was generated by this time while it is only 7,957 days this year, thus leaving a deficit of 3,110 human days,” he said. Muniraju said that he assumed office three days ago and described the notices as a welcome gift.

The state government has asked the reason for showing negligence in implementing MGNREGS in April while recording exemplary achievement in February and March. Disciplinary action will be recommended against the PDOs who have failed to meet the target.

They should be prepared to face the action the Zilla Panchayat chief executive officer may take. Muniraju said that under MGNREGS six per cent of the money could be utilised for creating awareness over the scheme. The PDOs could have avoided action by conducting awareness programme at least, he added.

In case of any pending wages for job card holders, the state government has directed that it should be paid by deducting money from the salaries of the PDOs. Steps should be taken to pay wages on time with the cooperation of the gram panchayat president and the engineers concerned. The members of Janavadi Mahila Sanghatane are working in around 15 gram panchayat limits.

The PDOs said that they were unable to contact the gram panchayat presidents. Even if contacted on phone, they promise to come to the office but never turn up, they alleged. The EO advised them to have a cordial relationship with gram panchayat members to tackle such problems.

He said that the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has considered the job guarantee scheme very seriously. He has instructed that every week 50 individual and 10 community jobs should be taken up and gram panchayats should achieve the target compulsorily.

Gram panchayats should be declared free from open defecation before October 2 and hence all necessary steps should be taken in this regard, said Jagadish, the district coordinator for Swachh Bharath Mission.