The state government has targeted to pay pending wages to more than one lakh migrant Mahatma Gandhi NREGA workers by 1 March.
The move is a part of chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s announcement to pay the due wages of Mahatma Gandhi NREGA workers whose payment has not been released by the Centre. Following the announcement, the pending wages are now being paid by the state government from its own source and the process of the payment through bank accounts was started yesterday and is to be completed by 1 March.
According to official sources in the state panchayat and rural development department, the total targeted number of beneficiaries who would be paid their due wages are 58,87,260, including 32.6 lakh males and 26.26 lakh females. The state government is also aiming to provide the benefit to over 44.68 lakh households during the period.
Putting efforts to reach out to as many beneficiaries, the state government has deployed more than 1 lakh self-help group women who would be visiting nearly 44.68 lakh households from 29 February onwards to verify crediting of money to the workers’ account. During house-to-house visit, aadhaar mapping is also to be done for left out bank accounts also and match those with the workers’ identity.
As informed by official sources, around 1,24,186 lakh migrant workers are also to be paid the mending dues during the period. In addition, around 21,83,341 workers of scheduled caste/ scheduled tribes having their Mahatma Gandhi NREGA would also be paid under the scheme. “The average wage being paid to each MGNREGA worker is Rs 4,502. A total amount of Rs 2,651 crore is to be given during the period,” informed an official of the state government. “The process of crediting the wages to the bank accounts started from 26 February and around 90 percent of the targeted number has been achieved by today,” he added.