A civil society organisation has found that children below 14 years were working in a Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) project at a block in Jharkhand’s Latehar district.

Jharkhand NREGA Watch, has complained to the Latehar deputy commissioner Bhor Singh Yadav and Latehar deputy development commissioner (DDC monitors rural and panchayati raj works in districts) Surendra Verma, attaching pictures of at least six children working in a trench-cum-bund project at Herhanj village in Herhanj block of Latehar, nearly 150km from Jharkhand’s capital Ranchi.

“It is a gross violation of the MGNREGA provisions as job cards will not be issued for children. As it is children cannot be employed in any work which itself is a violation of the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act 2016.

“Apart from district officials of Latehar, we have complained to the NREGA state commissioner Rajeshwari B.,” alleged Jharkhand NREGA Watch state coordinator James Herenz.

Incidentally, MGNREGA envisages to ensure employment generation in rural India and to make sure that the rural workforce contributes towards building assets and infrastructure to boost livelihood opportunities.

“The project is of financial year 2022-23 and the estimated project cost is Rs 61,000 and as per the MIS portal (of Central government) a total of Rs 38,157 has already been spent in the project.

“We have managed to identify the children on the basis of the photograph and all of them are residents of the Herhanj village and aged between 14 years and 10 years.

“The picture was taken on October 20,” alleged James.

In the complaint letter to the district officials, it has also been alleged that the agency (gram panchayat) has not created muster rolls during this period for the work, whereas a fake muster roll has been made showing those villagers who have not worked in the projects but have been given job cards.

“One of the workers whose name has been entered in the muster roll is Niranjan Yadav who works as a driver while Abhishek Yadav and Amresh Yadav work as a staff in a bus, another worker Bhola Yadav owns a tractor. We apprehend there is embezzlement of government funds using fake muster rolls,” alleged James.

The letter also points other irregularities that the trench cum bund work is being done in the land of Ramparmeshwar Yadav who is a native of Kekergadh panchayat of Panki block in neighbouring Palamau district, whereas on record it shows that the work is being done on the land of Rampravesh Yadav.

Latehar deputy commissioner Bhor Singh Yadav, confirmed receiving the complaint.

“We have received the complaint and have asked the deputy development commissioner, who monitors MGNREGA works, to probe into it,” said Bhor Singh Yadav.

Latehar deputy development commissioner Surendra Verma said that a three-member committee has been formed to probe into the allegations.

“On receiving the complaint we have formed a three-member committee comprising labour superintendent Latehar, SDO Latehar and executive magistrate to investigate into it and submit a report.

“Based on the report we will certainly take action against violators, if any,” said Verma.