03, Nov 2015

Nov 02, 2015 | PTI| New Delhi
The apex court was hearing a plea by RTI activist Aruna Roy
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday took note of a PIL alleging improper implementation of MGNREGA in terms of timely payment of wages and compensation and asked the government to make the payments promptly.
“States should wake up and make prompt payments,” a bench comprising Chief Justice H L Dattu and Justice Amitava Roy said while issuing notice to the Ministry of Rural Development.
“It is about delay in wages and payment of compensation,” the bench said while interrupting advocate Prashant Bhushan who wanted to make further submissions on the issue.
“We have already issued notice without hearing anything. If you want to make any further submission, keep it for the next hearing,” it added.
The apex court was hearing a plea by RTI activist Aruna Roy, social activist Nikhil Dey and ex-civil servant Lalit Mathur seeking setting up of independent Social Audit Units and indexing wage rates under NREGA higher than that minimum wages under the Minimum Wages Act.
The petitioners have claimed that irregularities in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) has eroded the entire objective of securing livelihood for the people of rural India.