Special Correspondent
Ukhrul, July 16:
In a strongly-worded memorandum addressed to the State Employment Guarantee Commissioner of the Department of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, Government of Manipur, the MGNREGS Welfare Association Committee of Ukhrul District has raised an alarm over the non-release of Material Cost (MC) funds under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) for over three consecutive financial years.
The committee, representing several Gram Panchayats and Village Authorities across Ukhrul, has demanded immediate intervention and redressal within 30 days, warning of legal action and public agitation if the issue is not resolved.
Despite the timely sanctioning of labour components and administrative approvals, the crucial Material Cost—which enables the procurement of essential construction materials—has not been disbursed for over three years. As a result, MGNREGS work projects across the district, including public infrastructure development, have come to a complete halt. The delay has not only paralyzed ongoing and upcoming works but has also denied the rural poor their rightful employment and basic developmental infrastructure.
“The prolonged non-release of MC funds violates the core principles of the MGNREGA Act, which mandates timely disbursal of funds for seamless implementation. Thousands of job card holders and rural households depending on MGNREGS for survival have been badly hit,” the committee stated in its letter, jointly signed by President S. Leishishang and Secretary R. Mahira.
Repeated verbal complaints and informal follow-ups with the District Programme Coordinator (DPC), Ukhrul, have failed to yield results. The Welfare Committee highlighted that the absence of construction materials has rendered the sanctioned works unimplementable, leaving skilled and unskilled rural workers without livelihood opportunities.
Citing the constitutional importance of MGNREGA in ensuring rural employment, the Committee has urged the Commissioner to issue immediate directives to release the pending Material Cost funds for Ukhrul District. Furthermore, the memorandum warns that if the issue is not resolved within 30 days from the date of submission, the committee will be compelled to initiate legal proceedings and may resort to democratic agitation.
The letter further demanded strict legal and disciplinary action against any authority or official found to be involved in the misappropriation, diversion, or misuse of MGNREGS funds, if such malpractices are discovered.
Copies of the memorandum have also been sent to His Excellency, the Governor of Manipur, the Hon’ble MP of Outer Manipur Constituency, and the Deputy Commissioner of Ukhrul District, seeking their intervention and support.
As rural Manipur continues to reel under development challenges, this urgent call from Ukhrul adds to the growing concern over the transparent and timely execution of central welfare schemes in the state’s hill districts.
