AJKPC begins 168-hr-long hunger strike against Rs 1000-cr MGNREGA liabilities

04/12/2019

JAMMU, DEC 3: Elected Sarpanches and Panches from various parts of Kashmir Valley and Jammu division under the banner of All Jammu Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC) on Tuesday began their 168-hour-long hunger strike against the non-payment of Rs 1,000 crore MGNREGA liabilities.
The elected Panchayat members have also been demanding for adequate security cover to Sarpanches and Panches in vulnerable areas and enhancement of their monthly honorarium from existing Rs 2,500 (Sarpanch) and Rs 1,000 (Panch) to a respectable and reasonable amount.
Hundreds of Sarpanches and Panches assembled near the statute of Pt. Prem Nath Dogra at Dogra Chowk and raised slogans against the government for its failure to clear MGNREGA liabilities, alleging that poor labourers and mates have been running from pillar to post to get their dues.
The Panchayat members who sat on hunger strike were AJKPC president Anil Sharma, Sarpanches Jatinder Singh, Sham Lal, Des Raj and Koda Ram. "At least 25 days have been passed since then but the government did not give any heed to our demand for clearing the liabilities, forcing us to start this hunger strike. It is highly unfortunate that poor labourers who executed works and the mates who expended their hard earned money to manage the development works have been facing hardships due to non-clearance of their dues," Sharma said."The MGNREGA guidelines suggest that workers should be paid their wages within 15 days of the work done but situation is quite grim in J&K where the workers who executed works from 2015 to March 2019 have not been paid their wages till date. This is the worst example of human rights violation," he said. "Our Sarpanches and Panches have been working under fear psychosis in Kashmir Valley and other vulnerable areas to strengthen grassroots level democracy but the administration has never seriously looked into security threat of Panchayat members. The AJKPC leaders have also been facing life threats while visiting different corners to hold interactions with Panchayat members in Kashmir Valley," Sharma said.

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