No work under job guarantee scheme; labourers migrate to Malnad areas

Despite increased demand for work, the district is not able to provide the promised 150 days of work to the job card holders under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA), due to delay in release of funds.

According to sources, from January to July 2016, the labourers have been allocated jobs for only 300 man days, besides making them run from pillar to post to get payment for the work completed, last year.

This has forced the labourers to leave the villages in search of jobs in coffee plantations in the Malnad region.

Panchayat Development Officers give excuses, including lack of Central funds, opening of bank accounts, etc. There are 12 villages under the panchayats of semi-Malnad region and Yagachi backwaters.

A majority of the people are daily wagers. It may be mentioned that the funds got lapsed as the PDOs allegedly failed to utilise it, last year.

When contacted, panchayat officials expressed their helplessness. The drinking water tanks have not been cleaned since six months and are covered with algae and worms. The same water is being supplied. They are not able to generate jobs for locals, they explain.

Shivanna, a labourer told Deccan Herald, “In 2015, cowsheds, toilets, agriculture ponds, farm ponds and others were constructed under the scheme. But, funds for the completed works have not been released. New job cards are not being issued. The efforts to contact the PDO have turned futile,” he said.

Another labourer explained that they had dug agricultural pits in July 2015. But, even after a year, the workers have not been paid the wages.

They have been made to visit the panchayat offices almost every day. It is the negligence of the PDOs. Several complaints lodged with the Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer has not yielded any result, he said.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer R Venkatesh Kumar said that several complaints have been received against PDOs.

A probe will be ordered into the laspes soon. “As Aadhaar number has to be linked to the job card, the amount could not be remitted to some of the accounts. There is information that the amount has been remitted online, so, it would be verified in the respective banks. If funds have not been remitted, the details would be collected and sent to the authorities concerned in Bengaluru, he added.
DH News Service