As 216 taluks in Karnataka are reeling under drought, the Congress government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has requested the Centre to release pending Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme wage component at the earliest, for ensuring effective implementation of the job scheme.
Letter to the Centre
Karnataka Chief Secretary Vandita Sharma has written to Shailesh Kumar Singh, Secretary, Union Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), and said that wage release to Karnataka is due from MoRD since August 29, 2023, which amounts to ₹478.46 crore. The last wage grant released to the State government was on September 24 for ₹1.55 crore for August and September.
The State government’s Rural Development Commissionerate has submitted Utilisation Certificates and Annual Audited accounts to the MoRD for the current and previous year, the Chief Secretary said in the letter.
Dependence on job scheme
“Because of the drought situation, rural labourers are highly dependent on MGNREGA jobs for their livelihood,” Ms. Sharma said. She added that the main objective of the scheme is to reduce the number of migrants moving from rural to urban areas and to provide job opportunities for them at their residences. Because of delays in the payment of wages, labourers are unable to meet their daily needs and have started migrating from rural to urban areas seeking jobs, she pointed out.
