No pay, lacklustre Onam in store for MGNREGS workers

Officials blame non-payment on delay in release of central share

- RAHUL R @Kollam

IT'S Onam tomorrow. However, workers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in several panchayats across the state have little to cheer, what with their wages still pending.

Payments of several workers have been delayed by a week to 45 days, forcing many families to borrow money to celebrate Onam. Families where both spouses are MGNREGS workers say their household budgets have collapsed.

When contacted, the officials blamed the non-payment on the delay in release of the central share. A senior official, however, said the issue will be resolved in a couple of days.