Naveen Requests PM Modi To Release Pending Liabilities And Enhance State Labour Budget To 25 Crore Person Days Under MGNREGS

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to direct the Rural Development Ministry for timely release of funds for wage and material payments under MGNREGS. In a letter written today to the Prime Minister, Naveen has said Rs.1088.72 Crore liabilities are pending (Rs.377.91 Crore as wage component and Rs.710.81 Crore as material component) under MGNREGS for Odisha.

He wrote that timely payment of wages to the poor jobseekers is the fundamental guarantee under the MGNREG Act. Similarly, timely release of payment for material is critical for creation of tangible and durable assets under MGNREGS.

The Ministry of Rural Development may be advised suitably for timely release of funds for wage and material payment under MGNREGS.

“I would like to further draw your kind attention that significant number of returnee migrants have stayed back due to reduced level of economic activities during the Covid pandemic. This has led to demand for wage employment under MGNREGS in villages. Therefore, the labour budget of Odisha under MGNREGS may be enhanced to 25 Crore person days for the year 2021-22,” he wrote.