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A BusinessLine report on MGNREGA published on December 18 has spurred the Union Ministry of Rural Development into action.
Citing the report, the Ministry has sought a clarification from Jharkhand’s Rural Development Department on the starvation deaths in the State, and the lack of access to MGNREGA jobs . The Jharkhand government on Wednesday submitted a detailed report to the Centre.
Ranchi-based food rights activist Siraj Dutta said this might be the first consolidated report of the Jharkhand government on the starvation deaths. The report contains brief explanations about 18 deaths.
“In each case, it is mentioned that the reason of death was not related to MGNREGA. But the report does not mention any details of the access of families to MGNREGA entitlements such as job cards, employment, payment of wages and status of implementation of MGNREGA schemes,” said Dutta.
He added that this shows that even after 18 deaths, the State government seems clueless on whether or not the affected families have access to MGNREGA and other welfare programmes.
Probe in Maharashtra
The Central team also visited Jat village in Maharashtra to probe the corruption cases in MGNREGA jobs highlighted in the BusinessLine report. “Members of the team visited the village and met people, asking them about the scheme and works done under the scheme. The statements of the villagers were recorded,” said Vikram Dhone, a local activist.
The team has also questioned government officials in Jat and collected details of ongoing and completed works under MGNREGA.
BusinessLine had highlighted that MGNREGA schemes were being completed by contractors even as villagers were struggling to get work.
In Jat, villagers complained that money was deposited in their bank accounts even as they remained unemployed, and later the money was taken away by the contractors.
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