Residents of Demdema block are losing out on work that should be guaranteed to them under MGNREGA because the mandatory Village Employment Councils (VECs) have not been set up yet.
A social activist has written to Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma about this issue, with the letter shared with the press today.
According to the activist, around 80 per cent of the population under Phulbari constituency are living hand to mouth but are not able to access the rural employment guarantee scheme.
Ironically, Abu Taher Mondal, the local MLA is the Community and Rural Development Minister, who looks after implementation of the central government’s MGNREGA in the state.
There are some 17,000 job card holders in the constituency, according to the letter to the CM but “due to the interference of some political masters”, the scheme has not been implemented.
