Srinagar, April 23 (KNS): Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) and former legislator Abdul Rahim Rather has asked the J&K UT Government to release the pending bills of the works executed years back through centrally sponsored scheme MGNREGA.

In a statement issuedto KNS , Rather expressed pleasure over the government announcement calling for an early resumption of various works to be carried out under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to kick-start the rural economy.

He however, said that while the move will help the poor daily wagers to earn their livelihood which is of the dire need but these works should involve more and more people to benefit each and every deserving poor family.

The JKAP leader said that the payment of wages and material of such works, which stand executed since years back, have not been released and the same needs to be disbursed on priority in view of the prevailing hard times for the economically poor families.

“As the MGNREGA works are carried out mostly by economically downtrodden sections of the society, making them to suffer for want of release of their dues is a sheer injustice with them,” Rather remarked.

He urged the Lieutenant Governor G.C Murmu to intervene into the matter and address the suffering of workers who are waiting for their wages for the last many years across Jammu and Kashmir.

“The J&K government should give a positive consideration to the genuine claims of the hapless MGNREGA workers who are finding it very difficult to fight the battle against COVID-19 pandemic with utmost financial constraints,” Rather demanded. (KNS)