MGNREGA workers protest pending dues

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, November 8

Under the leadership of Pendu Mazdoor Union, workers of different villages of Mehatpur block opened a front against the BDPO Mehtpur, laying siege to his office and demanding the release of the dues of the work done by the MNREGA workers in the past several months.

They said the pending dues amounted to about Rs 33,14,000. Union leaders said the MNREGA Act guarantees 100 days of employment to the workers, but work was given to block-level MNREGA workers as per whims without following the set laws. They said due to this arbitrary decision, the 100-day employment guarantee was not fulfilled.

They said for the last three years, tools were also not being provided to MNREGA workers. They alleged wages of workers were being cut on one or other pretexts.

They said despite bringing the corruption cases of officials to the BDPO’s notice, these have not been addressed and MNREGA funds were being misused by making fake attendances. For the last few days, the attendance of the working labourers was not being marked on phone. Due to this, there is unrest among the workers.

The workers, under the leadership of Kashmir Mandiala, Vijay Bath and Anita Sandhu, gheraod the BDPO office gates from 9 am to 2 pm. The leaders said this protest would continue.

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