OdishaPolitics

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik urges PM for addition of a default provision in NREGASoft to prevent delay in payment of wages to workers under MGNREGS

Bhubaneswar:Amidst apprehension in delay of payment of wages to workers under MGNREGS, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today wrote a letter to Prime Minister Modi seeking addition of a Default Provision in NREGASoft for Drawal, Utilization & Recoupment of Budgetary Allocation towards “State’s Revolving Fund” to prevent delay in Payment of Wages to workers under MGNREGS.

My Government has taken a slew of proactive measures to ensure proper implementation of the MGNREGS and has ensured that the benefits of the Scheme reach the intended beneficiaries. Odisha has done well in ensuring almost 100% timely payments of wages. This is a testimony of the tremendous emphasis it has attached to the mandates of the Act,” Patnaik wrote in the letter.

The Ministry of Rural Development has been requested earlier for addition of a default provision in NREGASoft for drawal, utilization & recoupment of budgetary allocation towards “State’s Revolving Fund” to prevent delay in payment of wages. However, the Ministry is yet to take any action on the aforesaid proposals of the State Government.”

“I would, therefore, request you to kindly consider my Government’s proposal for addition of a default provision in NREGASoft,” Patnaik stated.

Government of India has taken significant steps in raising the Central budgetary allocation towards MGNREGS during the outbreak of Pandemic Covid 19 which has enabled the State Govt to provide succour to the vulnerable rural households especially the migrant families.

In order to ensure timely payment of wages, wherever there is a delay in receipt of funds from the Govt of India towards the payment of wage liabilities, the State Govt has created a Revolving Fund for payment of wages to the Job card holder within the stipulated time as a contingent measure. My Govt has made a budgetary allocation of Rs 1000 crore towards the Revolving Funds for the FY 22-23. The Revolving Fund is to be recouped after receipt of the fund in this regard from the Govt of India, the CM Concluded