KOCHI: The NREG Workers’ Union is planning to move the Supreme court against the non-disbursement of the wages to workers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) for the past six months.
Around `636 crore worth of payments are pending for 2016-17, while payments to the tune of `46 crore are pending for April-May, 2017, in the state. “This has affected the poorest of the poor. The payments have been pending from October-November.
The NREG Act assures of a compensation of .05 per cent if the payment of wages is delayed for more than 14 days. We had made all efforts to get the amount, but in vain.
The only option left is to move the Supreme Court against the denial of justice,” said S Rajendran, president of NREG Workers’ Union.
According to the Act, if the payment is not made within the period specified under the scheme, the labourers are entitled to receive compensation as per the provisions of the Payment of Wages Act, 1936 (4 of 1936).
“An amount of `122 crore was released in April 10 after the state government appealed to the Union Government and the members from the state raised the issue in Parliament,” said Rajendran.
Meanwhile, the Kerala Grama Panchayat Association has urged the Union Government to disburse the amount immediately. “As a temporary solace, the state government should release a portion of the dues.
The workers belonging to the lower strata of society depend on the wages for their living expenses. With the schools all set to reopen, a majority of the families are in need of money,” said P Viswamabhara Panicker, general secretary, Kerala Grama Panchayat Association.
Fact file
Around I636 cr worth of payments are pending for 2016-17, while payments to the tune of I46 cr are pending for April-May, 2017