Centre asked Odisha Government to Disburse delayed payments to beneficiaries of MGNREGA Scheme

The Union Government of India on 10 January 2014 asked the state government of Odisha to disburse the payments to the beneficiaries of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Act (MGNREGA) Scheme.

Jairam Ramesh, the Union Rural Development Minister in his letter to Naveen Patnaik, the Chief Minister of Odisha expressed his concern over the delay in the payment of wages to the workers under the MGNREGA Scheme by the state. In the letter, Jairam Ramesh has also mentioned about the violation of the basic norms of wage payments to be made within 15 days to the workers covered under the Scheme.

Odisha Government has crossed over 15 days of payment of wages to the workers amounting 216 crore rupees, which is 41 percent of the total wage payment. In the process of delaying, the states government has delayed a payment of 29 crore rupees of total wages by over 60 days.

Earlier, the Schedule II of MGNREGA has been amended to ensure timely payment of the wages with adequate compensations in case of delays by the Union Rural Development Ministry. The amendment was done to make the process accountable and to bring great transparency.  

The Union Minister in his letter has asked the Chief Minister of the state to keep the issue of delay in payment of wages on the highest priority. The letter has also mentioned to take immediate disbursal of the delayed payment to the beneficiaries with the compensation that is due.

If you have any Question/Point on the above information, please ask/discuss it in the Current Affairs Group