NREGA implementation Onus on Govt, NGOs, says CJI

GUWAHATI, April 27 – Chief Justice of India Justice KG Balakrishnan today said that onus is on the Government, administration, volunteers and the non-government organisations (NGOs) to effectively implement the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), 2005 in the North-east, which would go a long way in improving the condition of the rural population in the region. “If these forces work sincerely to ensure proper implementation of the Act, it would give a new boost to the rural employment scenario of the region,” he stated.

Justice Balakrishnan also stated that proper implementation of NREGA in States like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala are showing good results and there is no reason why the same cannot be replicated in other parts of the country, including the NE.

Balakrishnan was speaking during the inaugural session of a workshop on ‘Reporting of Court Proceeding by Media and Administration of Justice’ and an interactive programme on ‘Implementation of National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme’ here at the Administrative Staff College, Khanapara.

“There are still some minor problems cropping up like delayed payment of wages which need to be sorted out but the good thing is that the women population of the country are availing the benefits of the scheme, which strives to ensure employed to rural unemployment youths for at least 100 days,” he pointed out.

Dwelling on the issue of media reporting on court proceedings, the senior justice urged the mediapersons to be responsible, fair and accurate while reporting on legal affairs.

“The mediapersons do enjoy special rights but they at the same time need to draw a line while dealing with sub judice and confidential matters,” he stressed, adding that the media, especially the visual media, by resorting to ‘sensationalisation’, at times knowingly and unknowingly, deprives the accused of a fair trial.

“There are also chances of the judges, especially those with comparatively lesser experience, getting influenced by the media reports, which would not be right. Media should work with the judiciary to protect rights of both the victim and the accused,” the Chief Justice of India opined.

“The Press Council of India also has a role to play in this regard and the media in the present scenario must work to empower the rural people,” he added.

The seminars were also attended by Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court Justice J Chelameswar, Justice GN Ray, chairman, Press Council of India, Justice Ranjan Gogoi, judge, Gauhati High Court, besides several noted personalities.