MGNREGA workers ‘half paid’ since 2015, PIL filed in HC

Jammu: To fight for the rights of lakhs of villagers from different parts of the Union Territory engaged under MGNREGA scheme, All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference have filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Jammu and Kashmir High Court seeking payment for these workers as it is claimed that they have been ‘half paid’ since 2015.
One of the Panchayat Conference representatives here said that PIL has been filed in the High Court for non-payment of full wages to nearly 23.5 lakh villagers working under MGNREGA scheme in Jammu and Kashmir.
The PIL has been filed in the High Court by the All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference, he revealed.
He further said that the Public Interest Litigation demanding payment to these lakhs of workers at the earliest, stated that 23.5 lakh people in Jammu and Kashmir have been working under MGNREGA since the year 2015 but they still are ‘half paid’ for the work till date.
“The government has been directed to pay these workers and the Division Bench of the High Court has issued a notice to the Union Ministry of Rural Development and the Rural Development Department of Jammu and Kashmir asking that why the High Court not accepts this PIL and initiate action?,” he added.
The Panchayat member further said that the PIL also stated that there are 23.5 lakh MGNREGA workers in Jammu and Kashmir, out of which 15.43 lakhs are those who are still working under MGNREGA .
“The PIL also said that as per the rules, MGNREGA workers should be paid within fifteen days, but unfortunately, since 2015 the full payment was not made,” he claimed and said that as per the PIL, the government at present owes Rs 29108.96 lakhs as payment to MGNREGA workers.
“Out of this, the government has to pay Rs 19224.69 lakh to unskilled artisans while the payment of Rs 9884.27 lakh is due to skilled and semi-skilled artisans,” he asserted.
Meanwhile as per the Panchayat representative, it was further stated in the PIL that these workers were not paid by the government even in difficult times like the Corona epidemic, due to which the poor working under the MGNREGA are facing economic recession.
“The High Court should immediately direct the government to immediately pay pending wages to the claimants,” he demanded.

Updated On 11/21/2020 10:41:27 AM