Complaint filed against BDO, panchayat secy for not paying MGNREGS wage

Job card holders numbering 22 from Khurai Chingangbam Leikai Gram Panchayat  lodged a complaint with the office of Imphal east Ombudsman, MGNREGS against the Programme Officer (MGNREGS)/BDO, Imphal east-I CD Block, Sawombung and Panchayat Secretary, Khurai Chingangbam Leikai Gram Panchayat demanding compensation for delayed payment of wages for a work under Mahatama Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Scheme.On receipt of the complaint from the job card workers, Imphal east Ombudsman, MGNREGS directed the Programme Officer (MGNREGS)/BDO, Imphal east-I CD Block, Sawombung and Panchayat Secretary, Khurai Chingangbam Leikai Gram Panchayat to redress the grievances of the workers by February 11 of this year. The ombudsman office also informed that the concerned responsible Government officials will be liable to appear before the Ombudsman, MGNREGS office in person on February 12 at 11:30 am along with a written reply to the complainant, relevant copy of work order, administrative sanction, details of abstract of cost, extract of master roll and wage pay slips of the complainants, social audit report and relevant copy of documents for deposit of wage to the bank concerned. The directives of the Ombudsman, MGNREGS office, Wahengbam Joykumar also sternly warned that the allegations leveled against the concerned authority would be deemed reasonable and necessary further  action would be initiated against the responsible Government officials without further notice in the event of failure to redress the grievances of the petitioners, sources said. According to complaint of the job card workers lodged with Ombudsman, MGNREGS office, the 22 job card workers were engaged for the work of singling at Khurai Heikrujam Leirak under MGNREGS for six days, i.e from 10 to 16 January 2015. The job card workers were not issued the work allotment before staring the said work and wage pay slips within 15 days from the date of completion of works till date. With the authority failing to make payment of the wages even after completion of the said work, they demanded for compensation for delayed wage payment as per MGNREGS act.