Jajpur: The success of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) has failed to live up to expectations of returnees and labourers as machines are being used in various works, a report said.
Reports said Jajpur district was in 20th position in implementation of MGNREGS but it soon climbed to 3rd position as it provided work to migrant returnees and labourers.
Reports available from the district administration said Jajpur district has achieved a 92 per cent success rate by Tuesday with three families completing 100 days of works while 2,79,006
man days have been created.
However, the reality is different as machines and heavy equipment were engaged in many of the panchayats instead of labourers. The use of excavator in a pond excavation work at Indaroi village under Erabanka panchayat of Jajpur block is a case in this point.
The district administration has sanctioned Rs 5 lakh under MGNREGS and Rs 2.7 lakh under 14th Finance Commission for excavation of the Jagannath pond and construction of a bathing ghat at Indaroi village in Erabanka panchayat for which works have started at the site from May 29.
The equipment is being used in de-siltation, excavation of the pond and in construction of the bathing ghat. Residents alleged this is not an isolated case but instances of manipulation of norms and wrongdoings are going on in many panchayats
Residents alleged that the Erabanka panchayat authorities have siphoned lakhs of rupees by collecting job cards of labourers and later preparing their fake muster rolls.
The villagers have drawn the attention of the Jajpur BDO to this wrongdoing but no action has been taken. The panchayat authorities are allegedly collecting job cards and mentioning work days against the name of beneficiaries in the muster rolls instead of providing jobs to labourers to earn a living during the lockdown.
Sources said the district administration has directed use of machines along with labourers as the pond excavation work is being carried out with the funds available under MGNREGS and 14th Finance Commission. However, the district administration has nowhere asked not to engage labourers which the panchayat authorities are allegedly doing with an aim to siphon funds.
Moreover, the district administration has directed engaging labourers under MGNREGS, particularly during lockdown so that no labourers remain hungry due to lack of jobs.
District Collector Ranjan Kumar Das warned that any violation of his order would be strongly dealt with and action taken against officials. However, action is yet to be taken against unscrupulous officials.
PNN