New Delhi: A petition has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking allocation of more funds for Mahatama Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MNREGA) to fill the negative balance of Rs 11,000 crores due to which workers have not been paid. It has also sought directions to the Centre and the states to ensure that workers are paid compensation for delays in their wages along with their pending amounts.
The plea has been filed by NGO, Swaraj Abhiyan, and was heard before the Chief Justice of India, NV Ramana, led bench today. The court directed the petitioner to serve a copy before the center and agreed to hear the matter in January after the court reopens from vacation. Through its petition, the NGO has informed the court that states are facing a shortage of Rs 9682 crores and 100% of the allocated funds for the year have been exhausted with 5 months of the year remaining.
It contends that the Centre should come up with a plan so there is no lack of funds with the states and workers are paid on time. The plea seeks a plan to ensure that states have adequate funds to make payments even in the subsequent month.
Highlighting the plight of the workers whose wages have been pending, the plea seeks directions to the Centre and the states to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Annual Master circular and automatic payment of unemployment allowance to workers who have not been provided work within 15 days of their demand.
Lastly, the plea has sought social audits of MGNREGA on registration of demand for work, provision of work within 15 days of demand, provision of unemployment allowance within 15 days of demand of work, payment of wages within 15 days of completion work, compensation on non-payment of wages within 15 days and extent of delay in wage payments.
