Jaipur:
In Rajasthan, workers and people's groups have launched a Mazdoor Haq Yatra to demand an increase in minimum wages for workers under MNREGA which is the UPA's flagship program to combat poverty and rural unemployment. Prices of basic food items have risen sharply but shockingly the minimum wage for MNREGA workers has remained static since the scheme began almost 5 years ago.
Activists say denying a better wage to rural labour is a grave injustice when salaries of government officials have more than doubled. Salaries of government officials, MLAs and MPs have seen a huge hike recently. But the minimum wage for workers under MNREGA has remained fixed at Rs 100 a day for nearly 5 years.
A MNREGA labour complained, "The fact that salaries of all government officials have been raised shows that the government is aware of how much prices have risen. But despite giving all benefits to government employees, they don't listen to needs of labourers like us."
Another labourer added, "The government says we should feed lots of nutritious things to make our children healthy. But instead of hundred rupees we often get only 20 rupees as wages. How can we then feed our children adequately?"
Activists from over 2 dozen organisations are now on a Truck Yatra to press for a better deal for MNREGA workers. Besides raising the minimum wage to Rs 200, they want the government to implement social audits of MNREGA works to combat corruption in Panchayats.
Shankar Singh, Convenor of Soochna evam Rozgaar Abhiyaan says, "If you ask government officials at Panchayat level, they don't want any social audits. That's because it's not just Sarpanches who indulge in bungling. In fact, the Sarpanches collude with government officials to seal their corrupt deals."
But recently social audits were opposed by Sarpanches in the state. While the Gehlot government has hinted at raising minimum wages, its yet to take any decision on holding social audits. But with workers threatening an indefinite dharna in Jaipur, if their demands aren't met by 2nd October, postponing this issue may no longer be easy.
Activists say denying a better wage to rural labour is a grave injustice when salaries of government officials have more than doubled. Salaries of government officials, MLAs and MPs have seen a huge hike recently. But the minimum wage for workers under MNREGA has remained fixed at Rs 100 a day for nearly 5 years.
A MNREGA labour complained, "The fact that salaries of all government officials have been raised shows that the government is aware of how much prices have risen. But despite giving all benefits to government employees, they don't listen to needs of labourers like us."
Another labourer added, "The government says we should feed lots of nutritious things to make our children healthy. But instead of hundred rupees we often get only 20 rupees as wages. How can we then feed our children adequately?"
Activists from over 2 dozen organisations are now on a Truck Yatra to press for a better deal for MNREGA workers. Besides raising the minimum wage to Rs 200, they want the government to implement social audits of MNREGA works to combat corruption in Panchayats.
Shankar Singh, Convenor of Soochna evam Rozgaar Abhiyaan says, "If you ask government officials at Panchayat level, they don't want any social audits. That's because it's not just Sarpanches who indulge in bungling. In fact, the Sarpanches collude with government officials to seal their corrupt deals."
But recently social audits were opposed by Sarpanches in the state. While the Gehlot government has hinted at raising minimum wages, its yet to take any decision on holding social audits. But with workers threatening an indefinite dharna in Jaipur, if their demands aren't met by 2nd October, postponing this issue may no longer be easy.
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