Hemant writes open letter to CM, highlights suffering of people over gross irregularities in Mnrega

Ranchi: Leader of Opposition and JMM’s acting president Hemant Soren has written an open letter to Chief Minister Raghubar Das highlighting the sufferings of the people in the state over gross irregularities in Mnrega in the state.

A copy of the letter which was also released to the media Hemant said that through this open letter he has tried to bring before the people the real truth of the double engine government of the state. He has urged the Chief Minister to take steps to control the irregularities in Mnreag at the block level so that the people can get their due.

The letter from Mr Soren follows after he visited Patratu village of Chanho block and interacted with the family members of farmer Lakhan Mahto who had committed suicide on July 27 in the well which was dug in his field under Mnrega’s individual beneficiary scheme.

Quoting the mother of the deceased farmer Hemant Soren pointed how against the sanctioned payment of Rs 3,54,000 Lakhan got only Rs 2,01,471 and was forced to run after the block officers to get the remaining 1,52,529 released tired with his daily suffering and worry for making payment and fulfilling the needs of the family the man finally jumped into his own well and committed suicide.

He said that on one hand, the state government is claiming to have opened the doors of development in the state and without any obstacle work was taking place in the state which made him think that whether this was the real development which was forcing people to commit suicide. He said that it was not just one case of Chanho block but in the entire state, the condition of the beneficiaries of Mnrega was similar as people have been forced to run after block offices and fall prey to the middlemen to get their payment.

Soren also asked the Chief Minister to also order probe as to why the mother of late Lakhan Mahto was not given the old age pension despite being 80 years old. He demanded that the state government should give the pending payment of Mnrega scheme along with compensation to the kin of the family. He also demanded that apart from a house under PMAY his mother should also be given old age pension.