Benift of 4 lakh MNREGA, workers withhold since last 4 months
Previous BJP Government deprived about four lakh MNREGA workers in the state after witholding their due benift without issuing any notification as they are getting such benift since 2013 from HP Building & others construction workers welfare board.
CITU president of Mandi district Bhupender Singh told UNI that unions lodged a protest meeting againsit the discrimination on September 8,2022 seeking immediate release of due benift. Secretary cum CEO HP BOCW welfare board Dile Ram has issued letter on December 12, 2022 to all district Labour officers to send fresh claims of MNREGA workers pending since September 2022. He said that claimed couldn’t served on a notification issued by Union Government February 10, 2017. Board alleged that claims were withheld of those MNREGA workers who could compled 90 days work under. Now it was decided that working days other than MNREGA to be included in minimum 90 days working as emplyors would also issue wage slip and certificates of minimum 90 days to support their claim. It was since 2013 that UPA government decided to bring MNREGA under BOCW welfare as scholarship was being provided to two children of workers fromRs 20K to 1.20 Lakh per Month, Rs five lakh Medical rembersement to workers and his family members, Pension of Rs 1000 after retirement, maternity benift upto 1.80 lakh to pragnant workers and leave of six months and Free Washing Machine and others household articles are being distributed free of cost to family members of workers. Boards have kitty of Rs 4000 Crore. The withholding of brnifit to MNREGA workers is violation of labour laws as Union Government also provide assistance for welfare of workers. Bhupender Singh said that some poltical parties are trying to blame the Congress government for stopping the benift however it was previous Jai Ram Thakur Government which withhold the claims of MNREGA workers. How any govt which came in power on December 11 could stop benift from back date, CITU leader said. He said that under MNREGA govt is bound to provide minimum jobs of 120 days to MNREGA workers however it was brought down to 90 days.
