BENGALURU: Karnataka government has decided to issue show-cause notice to 308 panchayat development officers (PDOs), 12 deputy secretaries, and 74 taluk executive officers for delays and negligence in the payment of wages to workers under Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G). Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Eshwar B Khandre has directed officials to issue show-cause notices to these officials.
The delays have been reported in 311 gram panchayats across Bagalkot (23), Belagavi (52), Chamarajanagar (13), Chikkamagaluru (14), Dakshina Kannada (15), Hassan (47), Kodagu (25), Mandya (13), Mysuru (53), Shivamogga (14), Udupi (23), and Vijayapura (16). In written instructions to the department secretary and ZE CEOs of 12 ZPs, he expressed displeasure over delays in wage payments across 311 GPs in 12 districts. He pointed out this despite directives that workers under the scheme must be paid within 15 days. He had warned that the PDOs concerned would be held responsible for any failure to meet the deadline.
Khandre said that he has taken serious note of the cases where funds had been released to GPs but wages remained unpaid to workers. He said such negligence is discouraging people from taking up work under the scheme and forcing them to migrate in search of employment even amid drought conditions. Khandre directed officials to seek explanations from the PDOs concerned.