The major common concerns about the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in Ernakulam district include the delay in disbursement of eligible wages to workers, particularly those in the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe categories on account of bifurcation of the Central fund release for0000 workers in the general category and SC/ST categories, says a report by the MGNREGS ombudsman for the district for the period between November 21, 2021 and March 31, 2022.
The report submitted to the District Collector by ombudsman M.D. Varghese on Saturday pointed out that the continuation of common fund release would help the timely payment of wages to all categories of workers engaged in the employment guarantee programme.
The ombudsman told The Hindu on Sunday that one of the long-pending complaints has been the inordinate delay in payments to individual asset builder beneficiaries and vendors of materials for asset building works. Over the last nine months, more than 6,000 such beneficiaries were to get a total of ₹12.22 crore, said the ombudsman’s report.
The ombudsman has suggested opening escrow accounts to help the speedy disbursal of money for the works and signing of MoUs among the stakeholders, including banks concerned, so that a method for the operation of the account can be agreed upon.
Another concern expressed by the ombudsman, who widely interacted with the workers, is the prescription for compulsory online marking of attendance. The lack of bandwidth and net accessibility in the rural areas was another problem, he added. There is constant worry among the workers about possible loss of wages on account of these difficulties.
The report also suggested giving special consideration to senior citizens who are part of the workforce. Most of the workers in the scheme were elderly women and they have to work for eight hours. But their working hours should be restricted to four hours without lunch break. The report also suggested that the maximum age limit for those engaged in the scheme should be pegged at 70 years.
The other suggestions include an increase in wages at least at par with the minimum wages for agricultural workers, providing them with ESI cover, providing them with pension support as well as raising the working days from 100 to 200 days in a year.
