NREGA fails to take off in rural Jammu and Kashmir

ANANTNAG - The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) has failed to take-off fully in the rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir, especially in the villages of Anantnag district such as Bariangan, Shangus, Kokernag Malang Bagh.

Locals have lamented that despite of having job cards, they got jobs only for a few days and had not received their wages till now.

“We worked for a few days under the NREGA scheme. But after working for a few days, we were left jobless; we repeatedly appealed to the concerned authorities to give us jobs, but till now we are unemployed. Also, we have not received our payments for the days we had worked in the past,” said Bashir Ahmed, a NREGA job cardholder.

He further mentioned that although the Central Government had introduced this scheme for the benefit of the poor, they are now being discriminated by the local authorities. On its part, the administration blamed the delay on certain discrepancies.

According to Abdul Wahik Tak, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Anantnag, there are some rules and regulations that need to be followed, failing which it could result in the mismanagement of the NREGA scheme.

“According to our report, the NREGA has been implemented in some villages, but the basic requirements and documents needed for the scheme are incomplete. They did work for a few days under the scheme, but have not got their wages till now. So, we will be studying the situation and finish the incomplete formalities soon. The locals will also get their wages in no time,” said Tak. (ANI)