AGARTALA, April 28 (TIWN): Out of total Rs. 130 crores, a total of Rs. 10, 31,000 of REGA wages remained pending with the department for the payment to the beneficiaries till March 31, said Additional Secretary to RD Department C.K. Jamatia on Monday.

Talking to the reporters here at the civil secretariat Jamatia said that a total of 6, 645 mandays REGA wages till March 31 has remained pending with the department. Out of which the E-payment of Rs. 2, 5,000 remained pending at Dukli Block, Rs. 1, 46,000 at Old Agartala Block, Rs. 36,000 at Dhamcherra, Rs. 2000 at Ganganagar Block, Rs. 56,000 at Kalyanpur Block, Rs. 83,000 at Khowai Block, Rs. 87,000 at Mungiakami Block, Rs. 1lakh at Bishalgarh Block, Rs. 56, 000 at Charilam Block, Rs. 73, 000 at Kathalia Block and Rs. 58,000 at Killa Block.

However besides, on the sideline of the issue of the violence of the Hezamara Block occurred on Monday due to the REGA wages, Jamatia giving a clarification to it said “Some 400 to 500 REGA workers had staged a road blockade at the block demanding for 40 days REGA wages without any work.”

Adding to that he said, “But, the state govt. has strictly refused to give the payment for 40 days unless the mandays are approved for 40 days.” He also said that the REGA workers were brain washed by someone asking them to collect their deserved wages for 40 days that has been remained pending, because the the central govt. has allotted the money for 100 days.

However giving a clarification to it Jamatia on Monday said, “Unless the works are approved by the state govt. for the REGA workers for 40 days the wages would not be paid.” He also clarified, “If the panchayats or the blocks of the state do not provide work to the job card holders than the state govt. is bound to pay unemployment allowance to the workers.”

Jamatia said, “So far there is no report with the department where the REGA workers were deprived from their work.”

However he said that after the incident took place the Chief Secretary had held a meeting with the BDO by video conference and has decided not to pay the 40 days wages to the REGA workers, because the work for 40 days has not been tendered for the workers yet.