MARGAO: The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) which was designed to provide a safety net for rural households by offering them employment and wages, has left hundreds of beneficiaries in a distressing situation as they have been forced to borrow money and plead for work on account of unpaid wages.
This distressing situation has not only highlighted the economic challenges faced by these families but also the urgent need to improve the disbursement of funds under the Act.
Addressing this issue has become very crucial to ensure that these beneficiaries provide their families to lead more stable lives.
It’s evident that O Heraldo’s conversations with the beneficiaries have shed light on the harsh realities faced by those from economically poor backgrounds as these individuals have been enduring an extremely challenging period of their life.
It is pertinent to note that nearly 8,000 MGNREGA beneficiaries have not been paid their wages for several months, with a few even claiming that they have been waiting for their rightful wages for almost a year. And the reason cited is the technical glitch with regards to disbursement of wages.
The prevailing situation has cast a shadow of uncertainty on the poor beneficiaries, forcing them to think twice whether to celebrate the upcoming Diwali or not.
With O Heraldo highlighting Anant Velip’s story, is a poignant reminder of the hardship faced by several families in these challenging circumstances. To provide a stable living for his three kids and wife, he is compelled to leave his home each morning in search of daily wage work as he is tired waiting for the pending wages for the past several months.
These difficult circumstances have pushed him to perform odd jobs, such as cutting tree branches and other domestic tasks, to feed his family.
“Technical reasons cited by the authorities will not help feed my family members. It is the duty of the authorities to search for an alternative so that our wages are paid immediately,” said Velip.
Sonu Velip, another beneficiary from Canacona, also faces a challenging situation as he is left with the lone option of borrowing money from neighbours to cover his daily expenses.
Sharing his plight, he said, “Yes, I am facing lots of hardships on account of no wages. For us it is very difficult to manage even for a one month without money. We are passing through a difficult time in our lives.”
Similar is the plight of hundreds of other beneficiaries, as most of them hailing from rural areas, have no fixed employment opportunities.
Another beneficiary from Salcete, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that the time has come to sit on the roadside and beg for food.
“We are not blaming anybody for not disbursing our wages, but at least the government or the authorities concerned should have made some arrangements so that we have something to sustain,” he stated.
Pointing out to inflation, the beneficiary said that at least the government should have taken into consideration the prevailing situation pertaining to inflation.
He asked, “Does anybody have any concern for us? Is this a digital India, where technical issues have left the poor people to remain hungry?”
THE BITTER TRUTH
Nearly 8,000 MGNREGA beneficiaries have not been paid their wages for several months, with a few even claiming that they have been waiting for their rightful wages for almost a year. The reason cited is the technical glitch with regard to disbursement of wages
