MGNREGA workers approach DC over not getting wages

Nikhila Pant Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, February 13

Workers who have not been paid wages under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme have approached the Bathinda Deputy Commissioner to look into their complaint.

Residents of Chak Attar Singh Wala village, they have alleged that the village panchayat was not releasing their money.

Diljit Singh, a resident of the village, accompanied the labourers to the Deputy Commissioner’s office.

“They are illiterate and did work under the MGNREGA scheme in the village but have not been paid. They had approached the village panchayat several times over the past few months but their pleas fell on deaf ears,” he said.

The labourers, refusing to be named, claimed that they had not been paid wages properly for the past two years.

“For the past two years, we have not been getting the full payment for the work that we are doing under the MGNREGA. Sometimes, the contractors make changes with our days of work, sometimes they tell us that our thumb impression can’t be recorded. On one pretext or the other, they withhold our money,” they said.

The labourers also claimed that they were not being given 100 days of work under the scheme despite getting enrolled for the same.

Deputy Commissioner Diprava Lakra said the complaint had been marked to the ADC’s office and action would be taken only after an enquiry is conducted.

“I have received the complaint and will get it checked through the ADC. We will have to check how much work has actually been done under the scheme in the village and if proper records are being maintained for the work that is being undertaken. Action will be taken accordingly,” the DC said.

Meanwhile, sarpanch of the village, Lakhvir Singh denied that the labourers had not been paid their dues.

“No such case is in my knowledge. Even if there is any delay in the release of wages, it must be because of the failure of the labourers to furnish their Aadhaar card details. In most of the cases, they are not sure of how much work they have done and expect to be paid more than that what is due,” he claimed.