C&RD block suggestion to job card holders opposed

Shillong, August 22: Federation of Khasi Jaiñtia and Garo People (FKJGP) Mairang circle Wednesday has sent a written petition to the West Khasi Hills District deputy commissioner expressing its opposition to the suggestion by the C&RD block Mairang that job card holders working under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) should open new accounts with the ICICI Bank.
The letter instead suggested that the government should first see that a branch of the ICICI be set up in Mairang so that those job card holders will not have to face any hardship.
Speaking to Oh! Meghalaya, the FKJGP Mairang circle president Bobby Basaïawmoit said members of Village Employment Council (VEC) from many villages were not happy at all that job card holders should open new accounts with ICICI bank citing reason that it will be far more difficult for them to withdraw the money as the bank does not have a branch in Mairang.
“The ICICI authorities have said they will provide one person who will be dealing with all accounts of the job card holders and this will make it more difficult for them to deposit or withdraw money because they have to wait for that person, especially in case of emergency,” Basaïawmoit said.
Basaïawmoit also questioned the sudden change of mind in suggesting job card holders to open new accounts where an ICICI person will be dealing with the money just like when the NREGS started wherein the VEC distributed the money but had to make amendments so as to avoid misuse of the money.
“If the ICICI keeps a person to deal with the money then it will be the same as when the VEC distributes the money,” Basaïawmoit said. By Joe Thangkhiew