Govt allows payment of wages through VECs due to COVID-19: BDO, Laskein

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 8, 2020

The Block Development Officer (BDO) of Laskein said that the block office has been making all efforts to bring all workers (job card holders) under 100 percent direct bank transfer (DBT) for crediting the wages directly to the accounts of the beneficiaries.

“With the implementation of NeFMS for payment of wages under MGNREGA, the office has been making all efforts to bring all workers under 100% DBT wherein the wages are directly credited to the accounts of the beneficiaries,” the BDO said in a statement issued here on Friday

“However with the announcement of National Lockdown w.e.f 24th March 2020 due to Covid-19 outbreak followed by successive curfews imposed in the district, collection of wages from the respective banks has become cumbersome for most VECs mainly due to lack of transportation…,” he said.

His statement also came as a reaction to the demand of the Jaintia Students’ Union (JSU) Laskein Block Circle that wages of job card holders should be deposited directly in their personal bank accounts as per guidelines of MGNREGA, failing which it would be compelled to file a complaint.

The BDO however said that payments are allowed by the government through VECs until such time that the situation relating to Covid 19 has normalised and lockdown is lifted in the state.

“…the government has issued the guidelines for payment of wages under MGNREGA during this Covid-19 lockdown,” he said.

“However if the beneficiaries prefer to credit the wages in their personal account, they can authorise the Chairman/Secretary/Female member of the VEC to withdraw the wages on their behalf,” he said.

As most of the VECs in Laskein Block are far from the nearest bank and to make it easy for the beneficiaries to collect their wages and to prevent the spread COVID 19, the BDO said the office has implemented the guidelines for payment of wages under MGNREGA during this Covid 19 lockdown as issued by the government from time to time.

“In case any beneficiary is having any grievances during the process of payment of wages at VEC level in their respective village, it is requested that such beneficiary  to report to the office of the undersigned for necessary action from the office,” he said.