A large number of poor families in Ambala are yet to get the payment for their work under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act even though three months have passed. As per the guidelines under the scheme, it is mandatory that the payment to the labour be made every fortnight. Most of these poor families belong to the Naraingarh area. They have been working under a project managed by a government department since August but they have not got the payment so far. Officers of the department have been assuring them that as soon as they receive the grant from the government, they will clear their dues. Jai Singh Rajbir and Som Nath, both labourers, said they had visited the office concerned in Ambala City a number of times, but officials of the department did not pay any attention to their demand. A few days ago, these families had staged a dharna over the issue, but the authorities did not take notice of it. The Centre has sent a grant of Rs 7.18 crore for Ambala district during the current financial year to implement the scheme. According to the guidelines under NREGA, 50 per cent of the work should be done through panchayats. However, this clause is not being fully implemented. One of the departments owes a huge amount to labrourers who have worked under the scheme. The department has reportedly exhausted the entire grant which it had received earlier. A minimum 100 days