Other States - Rajasthan

Farmers seize collectorate in Nagaur

JAIPUR: Farmers demanding proper implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) on Monday laid a siege to the Collectorate premises in the district town of Nagaur in western Rajasthan. The farmers from various tehsils of the district, who had started gathering since morning, said they would stay put until the authorities agreed to their demands.

“They are asking only for the proper implementation of the NREGA so that they get 100 days of work a year and daily wage of Rs.100,” said the Communist Party of India (Marxist) State Secretary, Vasudev, on phone from Nagaur. “There is rampant corruption in the implementation of the job guarantee scheme in Rajasthan.”

The farmers have been organising protest rallies in the tehsil towns of the district such as Makrana, Deedwana, Nawan, Parbatsar, Degana, Ladnu and Jayal during the past one month demanding proper implementation of the job scheme.

“There are many anomalies in the running of the scheme. The wages given are as low as Rs.30 per day. While the payment is decided by the work done by a labourer, why then make them work for any stipulated time,” Mr. Vasudev asked. He alleged delay in payment of the wages and the absence of proper facilities for the labourers, especially women at the work sites.

There was heavy deployment of the police and security personnel in the area where the Collector’s residence is also located. “By morning, many more farmers will be here. The ‘padav’ is to continue until our demands are met,” Mr. Vasudev said.

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