The government is contemplating to reduce working hours of women under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) works "very soon".  Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said this in the Lok Sabha that instead of 8 am to 5 pm women should work for to 9 am to 5 pm, with an hour's lunch break.

He was responding on a plea by CPI(M) member P Karunakaran during the question hour to change the working time for women workers to 9 am to 4 pm. He pointed out that a large number of work force in Kerala comprises women and the Act prescribes wages only on the quantum of work done.

Jairam agreed the issue was very sensitive in Kerala and Tamil Nadu women work under the scheme. He said the principle of 9-hour work was adopted from the minimum wages Act. He agreed that it would be better if women start work at 9 am, after finishing their household chores.

Regarding the revised NREGA wages in over half-a-dozen states, including Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan, which were lower than the minimum wages of farm labourers, he said the government was waiting for a Karnataka case now listed before the Supreme Court on August 20 for a clarity as "the government is seriously contemplating to put an end to all contradictions.

Jairam refuted the charge by another member Neeraj Shekhar that finance minister Pranab Mukherjee was stingy in reducing the NREGA budget this fiscal despite the rural development ministry revising wages. He clarified that there is no separate allocation for NREGA and the government is committed under the Act to meet the demand. He said NREGA has a positive impact in the development of rural areas.

He pointed out that the government is already committed to revise NREGA wages every year by indexing them to the agriculture price index.