Tribal demands Bio-Metric ID for all Tendu and MGNEGS Workers in Tribal Rally

Pandharkwada- 4^th May 2012

The tribals working under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) have not got their wages since February. Similarly tribals deployed for plucking the tendu leaves from the deep forest in Yavatmal district have also not been paid their bonus has unanimously demanded bio- metric photo identity compulsory at time of tendu leaves collection  and MGNERS work and payment of bonus and wages in order to stop rampant corruption and establish transparency in these hostile schemes  in a massive rally at Pandharkawda, 80km from Yavatmal organized today  on May 4 tribals also demanded central intervention by way of a CBI probe into the rampant corruption in the central and state Govt-sponsored schemes due to  undeterred apathy of the district administration and forest officials, informed  convener of Tendu Mazdoor Samiti Bhimrao Naitam.

VJAS leader Kishore Tiwari presided over tribal rally where as   veteran tribal leader Letu Junghare  and Tukaram Meshram moved the resolutions other main resolution other demands raised that include the extension of  Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in farm works  of dry land farmers and direct wage subsidy of 120 days  to each farmers in under MGRENA ,Mohan Jadhav farm activist added .

“When the distress cotton farmers are not getting farm workers even they are paying more than Rs.200/- per day ,we are till confused how forest officials are getting more 5000 workers Rs.145 per day ,this is clearly this is case of hostile corruption and Guardian Minister of Yavatmal  who is also EGS Minister Nitin Raut is directly involved and he should be sacked  immediately ” Kishore Tiwari said while addressing the tribal arlly.

The tribals, who are working simultaneously under the MGNREGS, have not been paid wages since January 2012 which is a criminal offence. "We demand the state government to order a CBI probe into the rampant corruption involved in both the matters (bonus and wages)," Naitam said.

Earlier VJAS president Kishor Tiwari has filed a complaint with chief minister Prithviraj Chavan demanding a probe into the allegation of pocketing the huge fund meant for implementation of MGNREGS by contractors, officers and the politicians. As per information, Chavan has forwarded the complaint to principal secretary Pravin Pardesi to look in to the matter on priority.

It is alleged that despite most of the work being done by machines, the contractors prepare bogus muster roll and show that the work's being done manually and pocket the entire fund. They do it with the blessings of the politicians and in connivance with some officials.

Tiwari further told in the rally that , "The contractors' agent collect job cards from the workers and with its support, they open accounts in remote post office and banks. The cheques against the wages are credited into these accounts and are withdrawn later as if the money were given to real labourers. Crores of rupees are siphoned off in this manner and the poor tribals are pushed in to the lurch, we are hopeful that collector Shravan Hardikar who has put on hold the issue of cheques amounting Rs.25 crore since January last will do the justice .

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