Job card holders protest irregularities in wage fund management

From A Correspondent

THOUBAL | Sept 23      

The job card holders of Wangjing Khunou, ward number I under Chairel gram panchayat, Kakching Khunou held a public meeting today in protest against the alleged embezzlement of their labour wages by the member of the ward, R.k. Lakhsmi.

Placards that read, ‘we condemn the withdrawal or our money from our personal accounts without permission’, ‘Find out the person who withdrew the money’ etc. were displayed.

In the meeting, Sagolsem Bise Devi, a job card holder said that the labour wages of job card holders are generally withdrawn after opening accounts at the Manipur Rural Bank, Kakching. The job card holders had also received their ATM cards provided by the bank.

Upon being informed that the labour wage for three days, a total of Rs. 612 each was being deposited to their accounts, they went to the bank to check their balances only to discover that all of them were withdrawn.  

When the matter was inquired, the Bank Mitr (an agent) of Chairel, Mayanglambam Biken disclosed that the money was reportedly withdrawn by the ward member, R. K Lakhsmi. Such an act is condemned and the meeting appealed for the authorities concerned to draw their attention on the issue.

She further said, Lakshmi have refuted these allegations on the public that she would withdraw from the panchayati raj elections if she is found involved in the issue. Therefore, immediate actions should be taken up by the authorities concerned and punish the guilty.

A woman who took part in the meeting said that Lakshmi had earlier collected a sum of Rs. 500 each from the job card holders with the promise to provide gas connections under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Scheme. However, nothing came out of it, she added.