Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 150
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 151
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181]
LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Koppal caning exposes labourer-contractor nexus

Koppal caning exposes labourer-contractor nexus

Share this article Share this article
published Published on Apr 3, 2011   modified Modified on Apr 3, 2011

Contractors complete the work by employing some other labourers and using machines

An inquiry into the lathi-charge on protesting farmers in Koppal has brought to light the nexus between contractors and labourers.

The inquiry conducted by the Koppal taluk panchayat executive officer in all the five gram panchayats - Boodagumpa, Irkalgad, Hasgal, Indargi and Madinur - has revealed that the labourers who staged the protest had not registered themselves seeking jobs under the Mahathma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in 2009-10.

In Boodagumpa, 117 labourers had submitted application seeking jobs under the Scheme. However, on November 25 last year, Basavaraj Jabbalgudda of the Raitha Sangha submitted an application seeking payment of wages to 427 labourers. He also threatened to stage a protest if the wages were not paid.

Not in the action plans

The executive officer found that the names of 310 labourers (excess) furnished by Jabbalgudda were not in the action plans for 2009-10 and 2010-11. None of them had submitted application seeking job.

In Hasgal, wages were paid to 37 labourers through demand drafts while the Raitha Sangha laid claim for payment of wages to 100 labourers. The details of only 37 labourers was fed into the management information system maintained by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department.

Similar explanations have been offered for three other gram panchayats.

Police resorted to lathi charge to disburse farmers who were staging a protest demanding payment of wages under MGNREGS in Koppal on March 22. Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene had taken up their cause.

Heartburn

The RDPR pruned the list of job card holders by deleting the names of the deceased and those who were not using the cards. Consequently, the number of card holders came down to 53 lakh from 62 lakh in the last one year. The registered labourers are paid a wage of Rs 125 per day. The money is directly credited into the bank account of the labourers.

Several instances of labourers drawing money without doing any work have come to light. The contractors complete the work but not with job card holders but by employing some other labourers and using machines. In the bargain, both the contractors and labourers make money.

Simple arithmetic

It’s simple arithmetic - While a job card holder must be paid Rs 125 per day, the contractor pays anywhere between Rs 70 and 80 to other labourers. He also pays Rs 20 to 30 to a registered labourer for ‘lending’ job card. He completes the work using machines whereas the MGNREG Act prohibits use of  machinery, an officer monitoring the Scheme said.

“By this arrangement, the card holders are happy that they get some money without any effort. They also work for someone else and for higher wages. The card holders themselves draw money and give it to the contractors. Hence it has become difficult to break the nexus,” he said.

MGNREGS is monitored at several levels - social audit at gram sabha; grievances committee and ombudsman at district level, monitors at national level; inspection by eminent citizens deputed by the Centre; district and state-level squads besides district level vigilance committees headed by MPs. Despite the multilevel monitoring, it has become difficult to plug the loopholes, the officer added.


The Deccan Herald, 2 April, 2011, http://www.deccanherald.com/content/150980/koppal-caning-exposes-labourer-contractor.html
 

Write Comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

Video Archives

Archives

share on Facebook
Twitter
RSS
Feedback
Read Later

Contact Form

Please enter security code
      Close