Year-Long Delay in MGNREGA Payments Sparks Unrest in Varanasi; Village Heads and Workers Prepare for Protest
Varanasi: A prolonged delay of nearly one year in wage and material payments under the MGNREGA scheme has triggered serious unrest in Varanasi district. Workers and elected representatives from as many as 694 gram panchayats are now being forced to fight for their rightful dues.
Reports indicate that MGNREGA laborers have not received their wages since October. Approximately ₹3 crore in pending wages and nearly ₹15 crore under the material component remain unpaid. This has pushed thousands of families into financial distress, threatening their basic livelihood.
The situation for village heads (gram pradhans) has also become increasingly difficult. Facing growing anger from workers and mounting debts owed to shopkeepers and suppliers, many pradhans are under severe financial and mental stress. Allegations suggest that several have fallen seriously ill due to this pressure, while four pradhans have reportedly died.
Due to the payment delays, development work across gram panchayats has come to a complete halt. Despite repeated written complaints to district authorities and the government, no concrete action has been taken so far, further fueling public resentment.
Both pradhans and workers have issued a warning that if payments are not released soon, they will be compelled to launch large-scale protests. They have demanded immediate intervention from the District Magistrate and Chief Development Officer to clear all pending dues.
Copies of their appeal have also been sent to the Prime Minister, the Union Rural Development Minister, and the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, urging swift action.
“When the sweat of hardworking people dries without payment, anger inevitably turns into a movement.”
