MGNREGA: Kerala Workers’ Organisations to launch nationwide protest in front of Parliament

Thiruvananthapuram: The NREG Workers’ Federation, affiliated to the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), is gearing up to launch a nationwide protest in front of the parliament against the reduction in number of working days and budget allocation for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme. 

The major demands put forward by the federation include raising the wage amount from the current Rs 333 to Rs 700, ensuring 200 working days, inclusion of all NREG workers under the ESI limit, formulation of national welfare board, provision of additional wage to matrons for additional work, inclusion of workers in group insurances among others.  

Furthermore, NREG Workers’ Union (CITU) has also expressed objection to the reduction in the number of working days. They also raised demands including an increase in fund allocation for the scheme and a hike in wages. 

As per reports, the number of working days decreased following the reduction in the scheme’s budget allocation from Rs 1,13,000 crore to Rs 60,000 crore. At present, the situation has worsened in such a way that not even 100 working days cannot be assured for a family a year. 

Though the Kerala government had prepared a labour budget seeking 10 crore working days, the Centre sanctioned six crore working days only. 

NREG Workers’ Union General Secretary S Rajendran alleged that the scheme is being weakened by the reduction in working days and not providing enough work for the workers.