Khaira: Given the statistics, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) has reportedly flopped at Khaira block in Balasore. Shockingly, only 22 families in the block have got 100 days of work under the scheme.
The fact came to the fore during a recent public hearing.
The public hearing was attended by Nilagiri sub-Collector Harishchandra Jena, BDO Mahesh Choudhry, block chairperson Abhilipsa Sahu, assistant engineer Bijaylaxmi Tudu, BPM Sapna Das and Soro ranger Babita Soren.
The officials reviewed the activities and projects taken under the scheme from April 1 to October 30. An official did put forth records of the scheme being implemented in 37 panchayats under this block.
The records displayed contradictory data on creation of workdays and the number of beneficiary families.
According to the records, the scheme has created 1, 45, 301 workdays for the beneficiaries while 4,824 projects were completed in the block. It was claimed that the scheme has achieved 90 per cent of the target but only 22 families were found to be provided with 100 days of work.
The officials explained that since posts of Gram Rozgar Sevak (GRS) have been lying vacant in 23 panchayats, there has been no much progress in the projects.
At the public hearing, Raghunath Panda, samiti member of Bartana panchayat, raised objections on why only seven out of 14 GRSs were present at the meeting.
The sub-Collector expressed his displeasure over absence of the seven GRSs. Many people’s representatives could not get satisfactory replies from officials about the MGNREGS implementation due to absence of the GRSs.
It was also alleged that scores of elderly people were deprived of pension. A village resource person alleged that pension of a dead person had been misappropriated in Amaria panchayat.
Implementation of MGNREGS in Basudevpur block is also not up to the expectations of the residents here. Only 18 families were provided with 100-workdays in the block while Rs 5.46 crore has been spent for various projects under the scheme in 2018-19.
The administration claimed that 2,47,039-workdays have been created for the beneficiaries. It came to the fore during a block-level public hearing Thursday.
51 beneficiaries took up their problems at the meeting and the officials redressed them.
PNN
