Karnataka - Bangalore

Farmers seek increase in NREGS wage

— Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P.

Firm demand: Members of the Karnataka Pranta Raitha Sangha and All-India Democratic Women’s Organisation staging a protest in Bangalore on Monday.

Bangalore: The minimum wage under the National Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) should be raised to Rs. 150 from Rs. 82 and the Government should set right the anomalies the scheme is beset with, farmers and women’s organisations have demanded.

Farmers and landless labourers who participated in a protest here on Monday organised by the Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha (KPRS), All-India Agricultural Workers’ Union and All-India Democratic Women’s Organisation (AIDWO) also demanded that the number of days for which work is guaranteed should be raised from 100 to 150 per year.

The protesters, who had come from various parts of Karnataka — including the Hyderabad-Karnataka districts which have the worst record for non-implementation of the scheme — said that large sections of the poorest of poor had remained outside the scheme because of corruption, procedural problems and delays at various levels.

In a memorandum submitted to Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, the protesters have said that the scheme — meant to act as a buffer to the agrarian economy which is facing crisis — had failed to prevent large-scale migration, farmers’ suicides and an increase in destitution among the urban poor.

The memorandum has also suggested modifications in the NREGS to increase its reach.

The memorandum further pointed out that the wage fixed in Haryana under NREGS is Rs. 135 and it is Rs. 125 in Kerala.

The other demands of the protesters included appointment of people at panchayat levels to monitor the scheme and appointment of an ombudsman to deal with complaints from poor workers.

K.S. Vimala of AIDWO and V.J.K. Nair of the CPI (M) addressed the protesters.

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