HC directs probe into ‘delayed’ payment to MNREGA labourers

LUCKNOW The Allahabad high court (Lucknow bench) has directed a probe into the ‘delayed’ payment of wages to labourers engaged under the MNREGA scheme.

The court directed principal secretary/additional chief secretary of Uttar Pradesh rural development department to conduct an inquiry and find out as to who are the officers responsible for the ‘delayed’ payment to the labourers.

After the inquiry, appropriate action should be ensured against the erring officers, the court said.

A division bench of justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and justice Rang Nath Pandey passed the order on a writ petition by Hardev Singh and 99 others, that sought directions for payment of their wages.

The court further observed that payment of wages, due to the petitioners since 2010-11, had been made in July 2018, that too only on the intervention of the court. “As it is well known, the labourers engaged in MNREGA belong to weaker sections of society as it is a beneficial scheme for these sections, and it was launched to ensure that their condition of living can be improved,” the court said.

It further observed that such labourers should get their dues as promptly as possible.

Observing that the payment of wages to the petitioners had already been made, the court court “there is no point in keeping this petition pending any further.” With this observation the court disposed of the petition.

MANOJ KUMAR SINGH