Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network
Imphal, January 19 2009:
National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) job card holders can now open their accounts at the nearest post offices for free thus making their transactions more transparent.
Speaking to NNN, Som Kamei, Indian Postal Service (IPS) and director of Postal Service, Manipur informed that he had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on January 7, 2009 with PC Lawmkunga, principal secretary of Rural Development after an approval by the Ministries of Communication and Rural Development to let the NREGS job card holders open their accounts at the nearest post offices without any cost.
Such postal accounts could also make the transactions of money with more transparency, he added.
The Director of Postal Service, Manipur also had high praises for the valley districts of Imphal East, Imphal West and Thoubal where the NREGS programmes were well implemented besides being very transparent.
Som Kamei also informed that there were 1, 23,964 card holders of the NREGS registered in the directorate of Postal Services, Manipur till December 31, 2008 from all the nine districts of the state.
He also informed that a sum of Rs 8.9 crores had been used in the NREGS work and added that opening of postal accounts will add to the transparency of such amount and their transactions.
It is worth mentioning here that the NREGS programme was commenced from February 2, 2006 with the aim to provide 100 days of legal guarantee employment to the rural householders.
Following this commencement, NREGS has practically covered all the districts of the state besides becoming one of the most successful programmes in the State of Manipur.
Kamei also informed the Directorate of Postal Service has installed an electronic money order system in December last under which a sum of Rs.50,000 (fifty thousand) can be transacted at an instant.
However, verifications of the senders will be required when they send the money, informed Kamei.