Bengaluru: Irked by the tardy work undertaken under National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), with the state government unable to provide employment to rural daily wagers, Assembly Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa came down heavily on government for not showing the required level of commitment.
Intervening during the debate on the budget, Mr Kagodu pointed to Revenue Minister Mr Srinivas Prasad and said that a proper message should have gone from him to officials to show commitment. “What can I say when nothing is going from this House,'' he added.
JD(S) member Mr M.T. Krishnappa complained that the government was not providing jobs to rural daily wage workers under NREGS. Though they provide jobs, the wages are not released on a weekly basis. BJP member Mr Visveshwar Hegde Kageri complained that the wages for daily workers, who had worked way back in 2010, had not yet been released. In such a situation, these workers were turning towards either private companies or going to Maharashtra for employment.
Mr Kagodu then said, “As per the budget, Rs 1400 crore has been earmarked for this. However, there is a provision to utilise upto Rs 14,000 crore under this scheme. Besides, there is a provision to prosecute officials if the salary is not disbursed in time. We have to lodge a complaint with the Union and state RDPR ministers,” he said.
so expressed his displeasure over the fact that the government was not taking such issues seriously and said that he would earmark time on March 31 for the House to discuss the issue and send a strong message to officials.
