TN CM writes to PM Modi on issue of delay in payment of MGNREGA wages

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue of delay in payment of MGNREGA wages and requested him to release funds immediately.

In the letter to the Prime Minister, Stalin wrote, "This is to bring to your urgent attention the issue of delays in payment of wages under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (Mahatma Gandhi NREGS). As you are aware, it is one of the largest social security programmes that provide a maximum of one hundred days of unskilled manual work as guaranteed employment in a financial year to every household in rural areas."

"The entire amount of Rs 3524.69 crore released from the Government of India to Tamil Nadu during FY 2021-22 has been fully utilized by crediting into the workers account up to September 15, 2021. Since then, no further funds have been released towards wages by the Government of India which led to the wage liability of Rs 1178.12 crore upto November 1, 2021," the Chief Minister said.

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister said that MGNREGS is considered as a stable livelihood opportunity in rural areas and the present delay in wage payment is causing hardship to many thousands of rural households and may lead them to disowning the scheme and lead to urban migration for employment opportunity which is to be averted by MGNREGS. "Hence, funds towards wage payments may be released immediately particularly considering the festival season," he said.

For the proper implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme, the Ministry of Rural Development in a statement on October 30 informed that it is committed to release funds for wage and material payments and added that during the current financial year, more than Rs 63,793 crore funds have been released for the implementation of the scheme in the states and union territories.

( With inputs from ANI )