Around 400 women marched into the Panchayat Bhawan in Salt Lake, armed with plates and spoons, banging them to get the attention of the panchayat officials. The women demanded disbursement of their due wages that has been pending for the past eight months along with the compensation for the period of non-payment of wages.
The central government has claimed that the funds have been stopped due to rampant corruption within the state government. In this tussle between the state and Center, the worst affected are the workers dependent on MGNREGA.
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The workers wanted to meet the commissioner, panchayat and rural development. Later, the protesters managed to meet the special secretary MGNREGA, Partha Ghosh and were assured that the payments would be made soon.
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Audit team arrived from the Centre and they are working on the problem, said sources. Talking about the developments, Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity state secretary, Uttam Kumar Gayen, said, “The official was very sympathetic to our concerns. Apart from our demand for wages and fines for late payment, we also complained that most of the time the panchayat offices do not take our complaints. He said he will instruct against it and also took out complaints. Regarding payments he assured that the payments would be made soon.”
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