NEWS

MNREGA workers should be given Rs 350 as daily wage at par with other daily wage workers – CITU

Himachal Pradesh MNREGA and Nirman Mazdoor Union belonging to CITU protested against the undeclared decision to exclude MNREGA workers from the membership of the State Workers Welfare Shimla, Rampur, Rohru, Sarahan, Statewide demonstrations were held in Solan, Kullu, Banjar, Aani, Dharampur, Balichowki, Nagrota Bagwan, Chamba, Hamirpur, Una etc. The union has warned that if MGNREGA workers are taken out of the purview of the Workers’ Welfare Board, there will be agitation. CITU State President Vijendra Mehra, Balak Ram, Himi Devi, Dalip Singh, Ranjeev Kuthiala, Ram Prakash, Anil, Kedar, Rakesh, Bhup Singh, Poorna Chand, Anju, Sarina, Seema, Sita Ram, Sanjay, Roshni, Pushpa in the demonstration in Shimla. Surendra etc were present.

Union State President Joginder Kumar and General Secretary Bhupendra Singh said that according to the notification of the Central Government, in the year 2013, it was decided to make MGNREGA workers members of the State Workers Welfare Boards and to give all the benefits received from the Board. Due to this, about two lakh MGNREGA workers have become members of the Workers Welfare Board in Himachal Pradesh. Till now they have been provided assistance amounting to crores of rupees from the Labor Welfare Board, but in the meeting of the Workers Welfare Board held in Mandi on September 20, discussions have been held regarding cancellation of membership of MGNREGA workers from the board and discontinuing all kinds of benefits. This was strongly opposed by Joginder Kumar, the representative of CITU in the board, due to which the Labor Minister of Himachal Pradesh, who was presiding the meeting, assured not to implement it. But despite that, the Secretary and CEO of the Board has stopped all the economic benefits being released to MNREGA workers.

He has demanded that the membership of MGNREGA workers in the State Workers Welfare Board should be continued as before and all the prescribed economic benefits should be released. The pending assistance amount for the last two years should be released to the workers immediately. The aid material received earlier from the State Labor Welfare Board should be restored. MNREGA workers should be given Rs 350 as daily wage at par with other daily wage workers. 120 days of employment should be ensured in MNREGA and the number of days should be increased to 200 days annually. The rule of deducting wages in the name of assessment should be abolished and full wages should be given after working for eight hours. The budget for MNREGA should be increased so that all workers can get 120 days of work.

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