Srinagar, June 23 (KNS): Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) leader and former minister Abdul Majeed Padroo on Tuesday urged the government to clear liabilities affecting thousands of hapless workers, contractors and private parties who have executed allotted works under MG-NREGA scheme across J&K.

In a statement issued to KNS, Padroo observed that the government has badly failed in the last over four years to clear liabilities raised against wages of the labour class and the material used in various development works under national rural employment guarantee scheme.

“This scheme guarantees employment besides an improvement in developmental index in rural areas. However, the liability on account of material supplied by various agencies, private parties and payments of wages to the labour class, pending for the last about four years seems to be defeating the purpose of this scheme on the ground,” the JKAP leader remarked.

Padroo said that thousands of poor and hapless workers besides private agencies, traders and contractors are suffering because of the delay in disbursement of their long pending payments. “Before focusing on new works under MG-NREGA the government must clear all pending liabilities mainly on account of material components under this scheme,” he demanded.

The JKAP leader asked the rural development department not to utilize the money released against the liabilities on execution of new works which is otherwise bound to create further mess on the ground.

Referring to the guidelines of the Union Ministry of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Padroo said that the labourers engaged on various works under MGNREGA in Panchayats, Blocks must get their wages maximum by 14 days and also there should be no such huge liabilities on account of material component used for the allotted works under this scheme.

Meanwhile, the JKAP leader urged the government to get the work on the bridge connecting Adijan with Damhal Hanjipora allotted under the CRF scheme expedited by the executing agency. “It is most unfortunate that the work on this bridge started around three years ago but the same is yet to be completed leaving people of the area high and dry,” Padroo remarked.

He appealed to Lieutenant Governor G.C Murmu to order immediate completion of this bridge so that hundreds of villages situated on adjacent sides of the bridge are not put to any further inconvenience. “This bridge was supposed to be completed in two years. But unfortunately the executing agency is working at snail's pace and if the work is not expedited, I think the bridge will not be ready for vehicular movement in near future,” Padroo opined. (KNS)