Chandigarh, January 15
The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) will organise Panchayat Chaupals in at least 10 major villages of every Assembly constituency across Punjab from January 16 to January 25 as part of its ongoing “MGNREGA Bachao Sangram.”
Disclosing this here today, the PPCC president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring said that the decision was taken to further intensify the movement highlighting issues related to MGNREGA and to mobilise workers at the grassroots level. The programmes will focus on creating awareness about what the party terms as a new “black law” affecting MGNREGA workers and ensuring the protection of their rights, he added.
Warring said that each Chaupal will mandatorily gather around 200–250 MGNREGA workers, who will be informed in simple language about recent changes related to the scheme. Information pamphlets issued by the party will be distributed during the meetings. “At least 20 MGNREGA workers possessing job cards but not receiving employment will be identified in every village’, the PPCC president said, adding, efforts will also be made to ensure that job cards wrongfully held by others are returned to the rightful workers.
Warring added that a detailed list of workers who have not been provided employment, along with their names, addresses and signatures, will be prepared during the Chaupal. Applications will be submitted to the concerned BDPO or APO, and official receipts will be obtained and deposited with the respective District Congress Committee president, he added.
Warring noted that if employment is not provided within 15 days of submitting the applications, the matter will be escalated to the Chief Executive Officer or the Deputy Commissioner. Warring also expressed gratitude to party workers and supporters for the successful organisation of MNREGA Bachao Sangram programmes across the state.
