Odisha Channel Bureau
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on November 1 urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to facilitate release of funds to the tune of Rs. 1088.72 crore under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
“Rs. 1088.72 crore liabilities are pending (Rs. 377.91 crore as wage component and Rs. 710.81 crore as material component) under the MGNREGS for Odisha,” wrote Patnaik in a letter address to the Prime Minister.
Timely payment of wages to the poor jobseekers is the fundamental guarantee under the MGNREG Act, stated Patnaik in the letter.
“Similarly, timely release of payment for material is critical for creation of tangible and durable assets under MGNREGS,” he added.
The Ministry of Rural Development may be advised suitably for timely release of funds for wage and material payment under MGNREGS, he said.
Pointing out that significant number of returnee migrants had stayed back due to reduced level of economic activities during the COVID pandemic, Patnaik said that this has led to demand for wage employment under MGNREGS in villages.
“Therefore, the labour budget of Odisha under MGNREGS may be enhanced to 25 crore person days for the year 2021-22,” wrote Patnaik in his letter to Modi.
