Shillong, July 28: Thma U Rangli Juki (TUR) Leader Angela Rangad has decided to suspend her agitation till August 15 following assurance from governmentfrom government to work on her complaint. to work on her complaint.

Rangad’s made the announcement after meeting with the principal secretary of the labour department, GHP Raju on Wednesday evening. Rangad was accompanied by the representatives of the hawkers, the domestic workers, taxi drivers, labourers since this was their issue.

The discussion was around the two schemes announced by the government last year Chief Minister’s Relief Against Wage Loss (CMRAWL) where wagers were suppose to get Rs 2,100 and Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board (BOCW) which assured Rs 5,000 to registered workers.

TUR leader has been demanding the government to immediately transfer the financial assistance that was promised last year during the first wave of COVID19.
Following the meeting, Rangad informed the media that they have given the labour department time to do their work.

“It is something that could be done much earlier. We have given them time till Independence Day to show us that they are working, so for now our agitation is suspended. We have also told them that all of us are ready to get back on the streets if the govt again shows the same thing of not being able to do anything,” mentioned Rangad.

She said that the labour department has assured to come up with a portal one for CMRAWL and one for BOCW, so that people can self monitor.

Rangad was also concerned since the government claims that one lakh plus people have been given Rs 2,100, but as per their data many whose names are there the money didn’t reach.

“We asked them a question that is it possible that the government gave this Rs 30 crores to the banks and this money is parked with the banks and the banks have not sent it forward to the beneficiaries. There are rumours that many departments do this kind of parking of money,” said Rangad.

The noted activist aged that the department has made a wilful negligence because since last year they could have asked the banks for a daily report of how many transfers have been made and they should have put the onus on the banks to prove that the transfer has happened.

TUR leader has asked the department to reverify their claim that 1,44,626 people have received the Rs 2,100 money, they have to ask the banks again because as per their data more have not received.

As for those who received partial payments like 700 or 1,400 the labour department has asked the banks to reply on why the beneficiaries received partial payments.

“According to the labour department’s data 33,000 people have not received anything at all. For this the department has asked for time since they need to do physical verification,” informed Rangad.

The labour department has assured to give daily and weekly reports about this physical verification of these 33,000 beneficiaries.

Under BOCW according to the records a total number of 65,000 people are registered under this board. Rangad said that the department claims they have transferred the full amount of Rs 5,000 to 25,784 people.

“As per out survey and RTI we know that those people against whose names the money has been booked have not got. So we have asked them to reverify. They have said that some people who may have registered but failed to renew (Renewal fee is Rs 10) last year due to pandemic they couldn’t renew. We demanded them to give a notification that due to covid first waive that renewal fee and everybody registered with the board are deemed to be registered and renewed so that this Rs 5,000 goes to all of them,” said Rangad

She stated that there is enough funds in the Board, there is some Rs 152 crores lying and till date they have spent only Rs 12,89,20,000 last year to those 25,784 people.

Meanwhile, principal secretary GHP Raju said that it was an open discussion about the procedure adopted by the labur department in identifying the beneficiaries who received partial payment (Rs 700 and Rs 1400) through the bank account

“We are officially writing to those banks to verify why these beneficiaries received only Rs 700 or Rs 1,400, what happened to the accounts why it suddenly became inactive. We have given these details to the NGOs for their benefit. There are a total of 13 banks we have identified where nearly 3,400 beneficiaries received Rs 700 or Rs 1,400 as the case may be and not Rs 2,100. We have asked the banks why the payments went through earlier and why the remaining has not been done. This has been explained to them,” said Raju.

Concerning the personal data about the beneficiaries, Raju said that since most of the information was collected over phone so that resulted in mismatch of the numbers. “According to our data 32,000 people have not received anything so we need to do a physical verification. The organisation has asked for a timeframe but I cannot do that because visiting 32,000 houses is an enormous exercise it takes a lot of time,” stated Raju.

A meeting was also held with the 13 bank officials before meeting with TUR. Raju has urged the banks to create a bank adaalat and invite these beneficiaries to verify the information.

The principal secretary has also informed that he will urge the board to examine the cases of those labourers who couldn’t avail the scheme under BOCW. He added that as for issuing fresh help in this phase two of COVID the department is waiting for a policy decision to come from the government

“There is no scope for any doubt, I can assure you there is no malpractice or manipulation or any scope for corruption here of the disbursement of Rs 38 crores since it is an online transfer and through RTGS,” clarified Raju.