ADM warns GPs over NREGA scheme

 

COOCH BEHAR, Dec. 3: Cooch Behar district administration may fridge bank accounts of the gram panchayats who will not initiate the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) by 15 December. In a recent meeting the additional district magistrate (development) Mr Pannalal Mahapatra declared that the administration would have to seize operation of bank accounts of the gram panchayats in Cooch Behar-I block if they fail to implement the NREGA scheme for the benefit of rural people. Under this scheme rural people are to get jobs for at least 100 days in a year.

 

In the meeting the ADM (D) said that all of the fifteen gram panchayat bodies in Cooch Behar-I block were extended with required fund for implementation of NREGA scheme to ensure jobs for 100 days in a year to the rural people but the response is not satisfactory. The administration will not tolerate it, he warned.

 

It was learnt that after introduction of the NREGA scheme in May of this year work started in a few gram panchayat areas but later some of them were discontinued for unknown reasons. Many Job Card holders had alleged of non-availability of jobs. Moreover, the gram panchayats concerned failed to give them any assurance of job. On being informed of the complaints the district administration took up an initiative to implement the 100-day job guarantee scheme in all the fifteen gram panchayat areas in Cooch Behar-I block and a meeting was held to discuss the matter on Friday.

 

When asked, the Cooch Behar ADM (D) Mr Mahapatra said he visited several villages in the past few days to learn the actual situation. Admitting that Cooch Behar is on the last position among the districts in this state in implementing the NREGA scheme he assured that from now on efforts would be given to achieve the first position.   

 

Mr Mahapatra said funds to the tune of Rs 7-lakh to Rs 8-lakh were extended to all the gram panchayats for implementing the 100-day job guarantee scheme. In the meeting he asked all concerned to start work within 10 December. "They promised that they will start implementation of the scheme by 10 December. If they fail I will have to stop functioning of their bank accounts by 15 December so that no one can lift any sum allotted under the NREGA scheme from the accounts", he said.

 

Meanwhile, submitting a memorandum to the district magistrate the District Trinamul Congress president Mr Rabindra Nath Ghosh alleged that the rural people are being deprived of the benefit of the NREGA scheme. A large number of rural people are yet to come under the scheme. Many people are still going to outer provinces to seek jobs. He alleged that the villagers have to face harassment to get Job Cards from the gram panchayat offices because many of the gram panchayats are CPI-M dominated. He blamed the CPI-M run gram panchayats for the failure in implementing the NREGA scheme. The Trinamul Congress leader alleged that the CPI-M is controlling the whole scheme to get mileage in the ensuing three-tier panchayat elections. CPI-M sources however denied the allegations rose against them. [] (525)

 

 

Adivasi rally in Cooch Behar

 

COOCH BEHAR, Dec. 3: Cooch Behar District Adivasi Committee (CDAC) organised a large protest rally at Shahid Baag in Cooch Behar today. They were protesting against the atrocities done on tribal people at Dispur in Assam on 24 November. They also took out a slogan shouting procession protesting against the brutality done on the tribals in Assam.

 

CDAC leader Mr Dhananjay Rava said members of All Adivasi Students' Association had organised a gathering of tribal youths on 24 November at Dispur demanding Scheduled Tribe status for them. Before the Assembly elections the Congress had promised it but after the elections it took no initiative to implement the promise. The tribals had organised the rally to press their legitimate demand. In the attack on the procession thirty persons had to die, Mr Rava said.

 

Condemning the attack Mr Rava criticised the role of police and the state government too. He also demanded punishment to the miscreants involved in the attack.

 

From today's gathering at Shahid Baag resolutions were adopted demanding Scheduled Tribe status for the Tea Tribe of Assam, compensation of Rs 5-lakh to the families of each of the killed persons and compensation of Rs 2-lakh to each of the tortured women.

 

As the Raas Mela is going on in the town the gathering and procession of the tribal people had added an extra dimension today. []