Pending GoI wage payments to rural labour reach Rs 5,100 crore: NREGA Morcha

By A Representative
MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act), which is said to have provided a cushion to millions of rural households amidst great economic distress during the Covid-19 pandemic, continues to be bogged with poor implementation, NREGA Sangharsh Morcha has alleged.
Pointing out that a substantial portion of the household expenditure in rural areas has been met through the NREGA wages and the nation has “witnessed significant rise in demand for work under the programme since the pandemic hit”, it said in an email alert to Counterview that as on November 15, 2021, as many as 3.46 crore transactions “are pending” in various States from the Government of India (GoI). The total amount of the pending NREGA wages comes to Rs 5,094 crore.
Giving State-wise details, the advocacy group said, “While the actual demand and need for work has only increased on the ground, the programme has run out of funds. More than 90% of the central budget allocation for the programme had already been exhausted with about 5 months remaining in the current financial year.”

In the light of the current crisis of delay payments and low fund balance availability with States, the Morcha-sponsored People’s Action for Employment Guarantee (PAEG) has released its annual NREGA performance tracker highlighting the issues. Another group, LibTech India, it said, has released a report titled Heavy Wait.
Sending deputation to several State chief ministers, the Morcha demanded that the pending wages from the central government to be released immediately, insisting, “Considering the need for creating more employment in the rural parts of the State, adequate additional allocations be made for NREGA.”
It further demanded that “Provision at-least 150 days of work for each job card holding household in this financial year”, and caste-based method of disbursing payment “needs to be revoked.”
The Morcha underlined, “In such trying times, the spirit of MGNREGA as an entitlement for people’s right to work with dignity and social protection must be strengthened. We sincerely hope that the government of India will make much awaited provisions at such a critical juncture.”

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Beyond data: The economist who refused to remain in the ivory tower

By Vikas Meshram There are few people who are born into privilege yet choose to dedicate their lives to the cause of the poor. Jean Drèze is one such individual. Born on January 22, 1959, in Leuven, Belgium, into the family of a distinguished economist, Drèze has become one of the most influential voices in the study of poverty, inequality, and social policy in India. Having lived in India since 1979, he adopted Indian citizenship in 2002 and has since played a pivotal role in shaping some of the country's most important welfare initiatives.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Rajiv Shah Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Counterview

Search This Blog