Early Times Report
RAMNAGAR, Sept 5: While presiding over monthly meeting of Congress workers R S Pathania, general secretary, J&K PYC has appealed for enhancement of wage-rate under MGNREGA to Rs 300 in view of increasing inflation, price rise and enhanced rate of essential commodities. Pathania pooh-poohed half-hearted, slip-shod implementation of Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Act in Ramnagar.
He added that compulsory statutory provisions of 100 days of job to card-holders, poor response to the card-holders' job demands, payment of unemployment allowance and full wages to card-holders denied work, payment within fifteen days, etc have more or less become hollow slogans.
Lesser rate of wages with no provision of higher wages for skilled labourers, viz., masons, carpenters, etc., paucity of staff, lesser provision for inclusion of pucca work, lack of proper social audit mechanism through Gram Panchayats, failure to put in place proper monitoring devices, corruption and wastage of public resources, and favouritism and discrimination in allotting work have virtually crippled the very essence and edifice of the revolutionary scheme.
He lamented that the job-guarantee scheme which is brainchild of visionary Prime Minister and national youth icon, Rahul Gandhi has failed to achieve the desired results in the hilly area of Ramnagar.
After the meeting a massive procession was led by Pathania upto tehsil office Ramnagar and a detailed memorandum was addressed to State Govt in respect to rain-damages.
Pathania said that despite loud-and-clear announcements and packages made by the State Government, relief measures are yet to appear on ground. People rendered shelter less in rains are basking in the open. And shattered roads, irrigation canals, bridal paths, power and fresh drinking water supply lines and other infrastructural systems are yet to be restored and repaired. A crisis-like situation has been prevailing in areas of Ramnagar, Majalta and scores of villages where incessant rains have caused whopping losses to person and property has been caused. Threats of a starvation and epidemic break-out are looming large.
Prominent among those who were present in the procession included Onkar Chand, Rahul, Jagmohan, R.K. Verma, Tilak Raj, Mulkh Raj, Sandokhu Ram, Tarsem, Swarnu, Gian Chand, Mulkh Raj, Anil Atri, Ravi Kumar, Pardip Gupta, Shiv Lal Pathania, Mohinder Kumar, Romesh Kumar, Ranjeet Bandral, Ravi Kumar, Om Prakash, Girdhari Lal, Shounki Ram, Noor Din, Jagdish Mankotia, Mohan Lal, Ram Chand, Bimla Devi, Vidya Devi, Sandla Devi, Makhouli Ram & others.
|
