From: paschim banga khet majoor samity pbkmswb@gmail.com
Sent: Tue, 03 Jul 2012 20:20:55 +0530
To: Anuradha Talwar pbkmswb@gmail.com
Subject: One Lock Opened : Payment of unemployment allowance
Ekta Tala Khullo: The One Lock That Opened
As part of the TalaKholo Abhiyan, 75 Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity members from 11 blocks ofPurulia district gathered before the District Controller of Food andSupplies (DCF&S) and also met the DistrictMagistrate on 28th June 2011.
An interesting development before theTala Kholo Abhiyan in Purulia was that some 106 workers from Purulia 2 blockwere called hurriedly the day before the day of the deputation by the block andPanchayat officials. About Rs.48000 has been paid to them as unemploymentallowance in one of the rare occasions when this allowance has been paid to workersin West Bengal. A PBKMS member said when she heard about this said " Ekta tala khullo!" ( At least one lock opened!)
The deputation to the District Food Controller demanded certainimmediate steps to be taken regarding the rationing system. The Controller wasalso given a copy of the demands of the Right to Food and Work Campaign, WestBengal - demands regarding the National Food Security Bill and the distributionof excess food grains rotting in godowns. He promised to discuss these with theState Government, and to ensure that the demands were in turn taken up with theCenter.
A categorical demand was made tothe Controller that he should immediately publish a list of who is a Below PovertyLine beneficiary and who is not, along with all ration card holder lists, sinceit was becoming impossible to otherwise distinguish between false and trueration cards.
Another matter of serious concern was raised by the people ofBalarampur and Barabazar blocks. The Government has announced a scheme of cheapfood grains for people of such blocks. Thus, in 23 LWE (Left WingExtremist) blocks, in Purulia, Bankura and PaschimMidnapore districts, all tribals with an income below Rs. 42000 per annum andall non-tribals with an income less than Rs. 36000 per annum have been included under the BPL category, and cantherefore now get rice at Rs.2 per kg, wheat at Rs.4.65 per kg and atta atRs.6.70 per kg. These are the "new" BPL, the ones chosen by the TrinamoolCongress (TMC). The people from these blocks complained that there wasdiscrimination going on between the "new" TMC BPL and the "old" Left Front BPLcard holders. While the "new" BPL were getting 2 kgs of rice per head per weekat Rs.2 per kg, as per the newly declared expanded allotments, the "old" BPLcard holders continued to get only 1 kilo of rice for 2 rupees. The Controllersaid he would take immediate action to see that no such discrimination tookplace.
It was also clear that the pressure on the ration dealers in the districtis increasing. Some of them have tried to complain falsely to the District Controllerabout two of the prominent PBKMS leaders from Hura block, including the PBKMSdistrict secretary Mohan Mahato. This issue was also discussed with the DistrictController.
A delegation also met the District Magistrate on issues related to the 100 days workprogramme (MGNREGA). The complaints were of not getting unemployment allowance,as well as compensation for late payment of wages. A special meeting was alsoheld with the Puncha and Hura block people regarding giving sufficientemployment to job card holders in the 100 days work programme. The DistrictMagistrate specially asked the District Nodal Officer(DNO) in charge of MGNREGAto attend this meeting and it was finally agreed that a joint weekly evaluationwould be done by the DNO with PBKMS activists regarding redressalof their complaints.
| Follow Rediff Deal ho jaye! to get exciting offers in your city everyday. |
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment