Citizens’ Monitoring Report on MNREGA in Odisha by Right To Food Campaign

7/29/2019 Citizens Monitoring Report on MNREGA in Odisha by Right To Food Campaign

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CitizensMonitoringReportonMGNREGA

(JamankiraBlockofSambalpurdistrict,Odisha)

Everyday,Massmediacoversnewsaboutlargescalecorruption,irregularities,falseentryinmuster

rollsanddelayedpaymentstothelabourersinNREGAworkinthestate. Asifthecorruptionhasno

end in implementationofNREGA inOdisha. But it is seen that theStateGovt.always remain in

denialmode.However,theGovt.hastakenvariousstepslikeintroducingtollfreenumber,framing

Grievanceredressalrules,onlinefillingofcomplaintsetc. tocheck corruptionandensureeffective

implementationofNationalRuralEmploymentGuaranteeAct.Ontheotherhand,it isallegedthat

thesystemdevelopedbyGovt.hasnothelped thepoor labourers togetjustice.Being frustrated

over themanner of the implementation ofNREGAwork, long delay in payments, contractorraj,

denialofwages,thepoorlabourersdonothavechoicebuttoleavetheworkforever.Thecommon

peopledonothaveinteresttodotheworkunderNREGA.Itisslowlytakingburialdeathinthestate.

In fact, National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, renamed as MGNREGA mandates

guaranteeing 100 days of employment in a financial year to any rural household whose adult

members arewilling todounskilledmanualwork. Thebasic objectiveof theAct is to enhance

livelihood security in ruralareasbyprovidingat least100daysofguaranteedwageemployment.

This work guarantee also serves other objectives: generating productive assets, protecting the

environment,empoweringruralwomen,reducingruralurbanmigrationandfosteringsocialequity,

amongothers.ToachievetheobjectivesoftheAct,theStateGovt.hasbeenimplementingalotof

programmes like Mo Pokhari, Farm Pond, construction of check dam, landleveling etc. for

providing employmenttothepeople anddevelopingruralinfrastructure.

TounderstandrealsituationatgrassrootlevelinrespectofimplementationofworkunderNREGA,

extentof involvementofthepeopleandresponseoftheofficials involved intheprogramme,a3

member teamofRight to FoodCampaign,Odisha ( StatelevelForumworkingon food security

issues) hadvisitedJamankiraBlockofSambalpurdistrict,Odisha on29th

and30th

August,2013.

On 29th

August, the team visitedMundelpali and KulundiGram Panchayat to collect information

directly from thepeople about implementationofNREGAwork. The team interactedwith a

groupof laborersand wantedtoknowfromthemabout theworkundertakenintheir villages. All

ofthemmadeaseriesofcomplaintsaboutnonpaymentoftheirwages infarmpondworkunder

NREGA, harassment caused to them by Panchayat Executive officers and Block officials.Most of

themarefarmpondbeneficiarieswhowereissuedworkordertodig farmpond intheirownland

in 2010 and 2011. Farm pond is a scheme under NREGA as an initiative for developing

infrastructure

for

conservation

of

water

while

providing

employment

to

the

people.

The team members are Sri Pradip Pradhan, Sri Tapan

PadhiandSri SushilMarish Tirkey. JamankiraBlock is

most undeveloped blockwith presence of sizeable tribal

population.Almostalldevelopmentprogrammeandtribal

development programme are undertaken for soci0

economicdevelopmentoftribalsintheblock.Duringtwo

day visit, the Team interactedwith the common people,

the labourers (Job card holders), Panchayat

representatives,Gram Sathi of threeGPs like Jamankira,

Mundenpali

and

Kulundi

and

Block

Development

Officer

aboutimplementationofNREGAintheirareas.


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Sl

#

Nameandaddress

ofthe

Beneficiary/Commu

nity

Gram

Panchayat

Yearof

Work

order

issued

Status

ofwork

Estimated

budget

Received

amount

Amount

pending

1 RadheshyamSalma,

Ghusraguda village Mundenp

ali

2011

Complet

ed

50,000/ 18000/ 32000

2 ParbatiPradhan,

Sardabahalvillage

Do 2010 Complet

ed

50,000/ 18048/ 31952/

3 KrustanCh.Bag,

Saradabahalvillage

DO 1.2.22010

Complet

ed

50,000/ NO NO

4 UjalMunda,

Sardabahalvillage

DO 2011 Complet

ed

50,000/ NO No

5 AswaniBhoi,

Sardabahal

village

Do 5.6.10 Complet

ed

50,000/ NO NO

6 BhagabatMirdha,

Ghosaragada

DO 2010 complet

ed

50,000/ 18,048/ 31,952/

7 Pyarimohan

Mohapatra,Saplat

village

DO 26.8.2010 complet

ed

50,000/ 18,048/ do

8 KarulusEkka,Budhi

Kutunivillage

Kulungi 1.5.2010 complet

ed

50,000/ No NO

9 BhagabatiaKishan,

Budhukutunivillage

DO 2010 Complet

ed

50,000/ NO No

2.Nonpaymentoflabourersinroadconstructionwork

During interaction with the people, it was found that the

labourers had not been paid of their dues in three road

constructionworks since fewmonths. The contractors have

beenengaged inalltheworks. Itwasalsofoundthat theJob

Cards and bankpassbookof the labourers are notwith

them butat thedisposalofcontractors,GramRojgarSewaks

and Gram Sathis. Some labourers also complained that the

contractorswithdrawsmoney from their accountbyputting

falsesignature

in

the

withdrawal

form

showing

their

pass

books. Thedetailsofcomplaintabouttheworkareasfollows.

Thoughtheyhadvisitedseveraltimesrunningfrompillar

topost toPanchayatandBlockoffice for settlementof

theirwagessince last3years, theofficialshadkepton

themselves giving false assurance for payment. The

detailsof

non

payment

of

wages

to

the

Farm

pond

beneficiariesareasfollows.


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Nameofwork ContentofComplain Complainant

Construction of road

from Gopikata to

Ghusraguda under

Mundenpali

GramPanchayat in201213

The work stared since January, 2013. The

work has not been completed. 20 to 25

labourers of Ghusraguda village have not

beengiven

their

payments

since

six

months.

AStheyarenotpaid, theworkhasremained

incomplete. KartikMunda said that he had

been paid only Rs.800/ and yet to get Rs.

1200/.

KartikaMirdha,

GunanidhiMirdha,

KartikaMunda

Roadconstructionwork

from BengtaltoBanmal

in 2013 with

sanctioned amount of

Rs. 8 lakh under

KulundiGP

A number of labourers have not been paid

theirdues. ThoughtheyapproachedtoBlock

authoritiesseveraltimesforpayment,but in

vain. Itwasfoundthat theyhadnot lodged

anywrittencomplain.

All the labourers

presented their

problem. But the

labourers who

vociferously spoke were

Robet Tappo, obeas

KerketaRoadconstructionfrom

MahulmundatoNH6

underKulundiGP

Do DO

Road construction from

NH6 to Gantiapada (

Badakundeisara village)

underKulundiGP

This work was sanctioned in 2010. 40

labourers were involved in road

construction work. Sri Jagadish Behera,

PanchayatSamitiMember isthe contractor

engaged forthiswork.Hedidnotpay their

dues. Due payments for each labourer

whichhave not received ranges from Rs.

5000/to

Rs.

7000/

.Thisworkwas stopped in 2010 and again

started in December, 2012. Samething

happened. Though sixmonthspassed, 20

labourers havenotbeen paid.

JagadishBehera has kept passbookofall

labourers.

DO

3.Nonpaymentofwages tolabourers in theworkfor mangoplantation

Theworkforplantingmangoseedlings underNREGA isgoingon bytheDept.ofHorticulture in

between Banamal to Badakaneisara village under Kulundi Gram Panchayat. Around 50 laborers

havebeen

engaged

in

this

work.

But

though

20

days

passed,

the

laborers

have

not

been

paid.

NabinKishanhasbeenappointedas Munshi whoisresponsible forpayments.Gettinginformation

about complaints lodged by the labourers to the Team, he has threatened them of dire

consequence.

4.Halfconstructionofcheckdam.

TheTeamvisitedDurgadihivillageofJamankiraGramPanchayaton30.8.13andcameacrossahalf

constructedcheckdamoverasmallstream flowing onthe leftsideof thevillage.Duringvisit, It

was rainingheavily.However,thevillagersaccompaniedtheteamtothespot. Theteamfounda

displayboardaboutthework.ThisisaNREGAworkundertakenunderZillaParishadfundin201112

with

sanctioned

amount

of

Rs.

5

lakh.

Approximately

25%

of

the

construction

work

has

been

completed.Sincelasttwoyears,the checkdam hasbeenleft halfconstructed.


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During interactionwith the villagers, theysaid thattheydidnot

have ideaabout the reason for postponementof theworkand

amountof fundalreadyspent for thework.WardMember said

thathehadappraisedand requested theBDOseveral times to

completethework,butin vain.

MeetingwithPanchayatRepresentatives

They tried tomeetSarapanchandPanchayatExecutiveOfficers

of MundenpaliGramPanchayatbut found theirofficeclosedat

12noon.However, the teammetBasantiMirdha, Sarapanchof

KulundiGPandwaned fromher aboutnonpaymentofwages.

Sheexpressedher ignoranceabout it.Thoughbthiswork isbeing

undertakendirectlybyblock,szhehasnotbeenappraisedabout

theworkundertakeninherjurisdiction fromtheBlockoffice.zzzz

ShenarratedherstoryofhelplessnessasSarapanchandnofile or

documentis

shown

to

her

by

the

Panchayat

Executive

Officer.

PhysicalthreatstoRTIUsers

Finding nopayments oftheirdues,manylabourershaveused RTI togetthe detailsofinformation

fromthe officeofBDO,JamankiraBlock. They havenotgotanyinformation though statutorytime

limithasgotpassed.Findingnoinformation,theyhavefiled complaintstoInformationCommission

seekingjustice. OneRTIApplicant SriBinodDungdung ofBadakaneisaravillageunderKulundiGP

who isthe labourer saidthat HemantBehera,aconractor of hisvillage who hasnotpaid his

dueshas threatened himtowithdrawRTIApplicationfromtheBlockoffice.Unlesshewithdraws

theRTIApplication, hewillnotgiveanypayments. Though manyRTIApplicants i.e., thepoor

labourershave receivedsimilar threats,they feared togivethenameofthepersons whohave

threatened

them.

Discussionwith BDO,Jamankira

The Team met Michael Tigga, Block Development Officer,

Jamankira on 30.8.13. Itwas found the block closed due to

strike inWesternOdishaonissueofestablishmentofpermanent

bench ofOdishaHighCourt. TheBDOwas found sittingat the

gateofhisoffice.Hewasappraisedaboutdetailsofnonpayment

of wages to the labourers in differentNREGAworksince two

years and halfconstructedwork of check dam asmentioned

above.BDO said thathehadjoined recentlyandhavingno idea

abouttheproblem.

On issuesofnonpaymentof farmpondbeneficiaries,he said thatduring theyearof2010and

2011,therewashugecomplaint about useof machinefor diggingpondintheBlock.Itmaybedue

tothisreason;thelaborersmightnothavebeenpaid.HoweverIwillinvestigateintoit,hesaid.

Somekeyissuesandrecommendations

a. Aspersection3(3)ofNREGA,thelaborersareentitledtogettheirdueswithin7to15daysof the completionof thework.But since last3 years, the labourershavenotbeenpaid.

During interaction, theBDO saidon assumption thatbecauseof complaints aboutuseof

machineduring

that

time,

the

farm

pond

labourers

might

not

been

paid.

The

reply

was

madetotheBDOthat ifthis isthereasonwhythe labourerswerenot intimatedabout it.


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Had the labourers been intimated about it, they could have approached the appropriate

authorityforgettingjustice.However,theTeam recommendstoStateGovt. anddistrict

administration toenquire intoallallegationsofnonpaymentofthedues tothe labourers

andensuretheirduesattheearliest.

b. Itwasfound thatneither Jobcardnorbankpassbook isavailablewiththe labourers.TheGRS, Gram Sathis and some contractors have taken it and kept with them formonthstogether.Thismatterneeds tobe investigated and stringent action tobe taken against

themandensuretoreturnthepassbooktothelabourers.

c. TheCheckdamwhichwas sanctioned in2011underNREGAhasnotbeencompleted.Onspotverification,itwasfoundthathardly25%oftheworkhasbeencompleted.Thepeople

arenot aware about the reasonofpostponementofwork.Themandateof theAct is to

ensure water conservation and irrigation facility for the people. But this objective is

defeatedhere. So,theteamrecommendstoSateGovt. toenquireintothematterandtake

stepstocompletethecheckdamattheearliest.

d. Inordertoresolvetheirproblemandtoknowmoreaboutfactofthe issues,the labourersareusing RTI toaccess the information.But thePIOdenies the information.Even itwas

complained bythepeoplethat thePIOisdiscouraging themtosubmitRTIApplication. A

numberofcomplaintcaseshasbeen filed intheofficeofOdisha InformationCommission.

As per point no. 16 and 17 of the Schedule1 of the Act and provisions under subject

TransparencyandAccountabilityofOperationalguideline issuedbyCentralGovt., allthe

documentslikeMusterRoll,detailsofexpenditurewillbekeptopenforpublicinspectionin

theofficeofGramPanchayatandBlock. But nodocumentisavailableforpublicinspection

even after 8 years since implementation of the Act in the state. Had it been done, the

labourers couldhavegot informationabout the reason fornonpaymentandapproached

appropriate

authority

for

justice.

It

is

recommended

to

State

to

direct

all

the

Block

and

GP

offices ingeneralandBDO,jamankiraBlock inparticular tomakeavailableall theNREGA

relateddocumentsinpublicdomain.

e. The State Govt. has framed a Rule calledMahatma Gandhi National Rural EmploymentGuarantee (GrievanceRedressal)Rules in2010.UnderthesaidRule,complaintFormhas

beenprescribed forthepeople to file thecomplainonthe issuesofcorruption, financial

discrepancy , denial ofwage etc. But astonishingly, the said form is not available in any

office.There isnosuchmassiveawarenesscampaigntoeducatethepeopleaboutthesaid

Rules. The labourers are also seen not aware about the form and procedure for filling

complaints.So it is recommended to stateGovt. to take steps to ensure availabilityof

Complaint

Form

A

and

C

in

all

the

offices.

and

organize

massive

awareness

programme

involvingNGOs onthesaidRules.

f. . Thereportofanyenquiryoractiontakenornoactiontakenonourrecommendationmaybeintimated [email protected]

RighttoFoodCampaign,Odisha,PlotNo.316,SailashreeVihar,PostC.S.Pur,Bhubaneswar.

TeamMembers

PradipPradhan TapanPadhi SushilMarishTirkey

M99378

43482

M

94376

35267

M

94396

36115

Citizens’ Monitoring Report on MNREGA in Odisha by Right To Food Campaign

Documents

Transcript of Citizens’ Monitoring Report on MNREGA in Odisha by Right To Food Campaign