Arunachal villagers allege illegal Rs 500 charge by BDO under MGNREGA

Residents of Meche Marde village have filed a formal complaint against the Block Development Officer (BDO) of Dumporijo, alleging unauthorised collection of Rs 500 from MGNREGA job card holders for processing demand forms.

The complaint, submitted to the Additional Deputy Commissioner on June 27, highlights what villagers describe as a systematic corruption practice affecting the rural employment guarantee scheme beneficiaries.

According to the written grievance, the BDO has been "illegally charging Rs 500 from each beneficiary under the MGNREGA scheme, for demand forms fill up, covering ten months in advance without an Official Circular or Notice."

The villagers claim the BDO issued verbal instructions to the Gram Panchayat Coordinator (GPC) to collect the amount from beneficiaries.

When confronted about the charges, the BDO allegedly justified the fee by claiming it covered "copy, pen, ink, and printer expenses." However, the complainants argue this explanation violates MGNREGA guidelines.

"According to guidelines, there are three components: 1. Wages, 2. Non-wages, 3. Admin Head, as these expenses are already covered under the ADMIN HEAD the government has allocated sufficient funds for this purpose," the villagers stated in their complaint.

The residents emphasise the financial burden on rural families, noting that "the poor beneficiaries of MGNREGA Job card holders could not bear the Rs 500 which has been charged by BDO Dumporijo in the name of a demand form."

The complaint demands immediate action on multiple fronts: cessation of the illegal collection practice, refunds for those who have already paid, and assurance that pending beneficiaries will not be forced to pay the unauthorised fee.

The villagers have provided evidence to support their allegations, including voice announcements in WhatsApp groups and online payment details. They seek intervention from the district administration to address what they describe as misuse of authority by the BDO.

MGNREGA, India's flagship rural employment guarantee program, is designed to provide at least 100 days of wage employment per year to rural households.