Only 26 Jhajjar families given jobs under MGNREGA: MP

Tribune News Service

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Jhajjar, December 31

Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda on Monday accused the state BJP government of “pushing the BPL families to the point of devastation”.

He claimed merely 26 families were given employment under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in the district during 2017-18, while the figure was 570 during the Congress government in 2013-14.

Deepender was addressing a gathering of MGNREGA workers outside the mini-secretariat here.

Accompanied by former Education Minister and Jhajjar MLA Geeta Bhukkal, he also accused the state government of not allotting free plots to entitled villagers under the 100-sq yard plot scheme launched by the then Congress government.

“A decline in employment under MGNREGA has been recorded not only in Jhajjar, but the entire state. In 2013-14, employment was given for 1.17 crore days in the state, while the figure has reduced to 90 lakh in 2017-18 due to the negative attitude of the BJP government towards MGNREGA,” said Deepender, maintaining the issue would be raised in the Lok Sabha.

The MP said the BJP government had made a mockery of MGNREGA, which aimed at ensuring livelihood security in rural areas by providing at least 100 days of wage employment in a financial year.

Bhukkal said a large number of MGNREGA workers in the district were deprived of employment. “Consequently, they have been struggling to make ends meet, while the district authority is paying no heed to their plight,” she said.

Later, both the leaders submitted a memorandum to Shikha, District Rural Development Authority CEO, demanding employment for every worker under MGNREGA.

Earlier, a considerable number of workers from Jhajjar, Matanhel, Salhavaas and Beri blocks of the district gathered outside the mini-secretariat and staged a dharna.