Private agencies engaged by various state government departments to take up development projects are wary about a proposed clause to hire MGNREGA job cardholders in projects as they feel it will compromise the quality of work.

Recently, chief secretary H.K. Dwivedi held a meeting with various departments to assess the progress on providing jobs to the MGNREGS job cardholders in state government schemes. He told the different heads to incorporate a clause on engaging MGNREGA job cardholders into tender documents, following which the panchayat secretary issued a letter.

“You are also requested to direct all the executing agencies under your department to incorporate clause(s) in the tender document/work order of the schemes for engaging MGNREGA job card holders for unskilled portion of the works in every scheme implemented by the department so that the objective of providing works to the unskilled labourers is fulfilled to the maximum possible extent,” said the letter issued by the panchayat secretary.

Sources said during the meeting by the chief secretary it was decided that the state would try to generate more than 20 crore mandays for the MGNREGA job cardholders through schemes taken up by the state at a time the Centre had frozen funds meant for Bengal under the rural jobs scheme.

“So far, more than 14 crore mandays have been generated by the state in this financial year. But the state needs to generate 6 crore more mandays and that’s the reason for the clause,” said an official.

However, private agencies that undertake the projects said that if the clause is incorporated, it would be a burden.

“We have our skilled workforce. We cannot ask them not to come to work. Now, if we are forced to include MGNREGS job card holders, our expenditure would go up,” said a contractor.

Another contractor said that their projects did not have much scope for unskilled workers.

“We need skilled people for everything. Digging soil for the foundation of a structure is also a skilled job. If we engage MGNREGS cardholders for it, the quality of work will be compromised,” said a contractor.

Some engineers said that the concern of private agencies is genuine to an extent as MGNREGS workers don’t have the expertise to work for a bridge or a building.

“The quality of construction under the MGNREGS has been found to be bad. So, engaging MGNREGS job cardholders for major schemes won’t be wise,” said an engineer of PWD.

Sources said that the clause can be obeyed to an extent by the agencies carrying out irrigation or PHE schemes where a lot of earthwork is needed, but not for major construction projects.

The agencies also fear that once the clause is incorporated into the tenders, they will be forced to employ unnecessary workers in all projects.

“Such complaints are coming up. Some agencies in Birbhum alleged they are being forced by the authorities to employ MGNREGS job cardholders even when they don’t need that much manpower,” said a source.

Sources said the state government wants to give jobs to as many cardholders as possible before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls as the ruling party is facing questions over lack of jobs.

“So far, the state could engage 39 lakh job card holders, but Bengal has 1.38 crore active job card holders,” said a source.