You need Rs 5 more than we do, NREGA workers tell Modi -Governance Now

You need Rs 5 more than we do, NREGA workers tell Modi

Jharkhand NREGA workers protest low wages by returning Rs 5 to PM on May Day

GN Bureau | May 2, 2016

#Narendra Modi #NREGA #Jharkhand workers #May Day

Hundreds of workers in Manika block of Jharkhand’s Latehar district have sent Rs 5 to prime minister Narendra Modi, on Sunday. They were protesting against the measly increase of NREGA wages in Jharkhand this year – from Rs 162 per day to Rs 167 per day.

NREGA wages in Jharkhand were raised by just Rs 4 last year (from Rs 158 to 162), and another Rs 5 this year. To protest against this stinginess, workers marched through Manika, held a rally, and then hundreds of them sent Rs 5 to the prime minister with a letter.

Text of the letter

Dear prime minister,

This year your government has increased the wages of NREGA workers in Jharkhand by five rupees (from Rs 162 per day to Rs 167 per day). We feel very lucky, because in 17 states the increase was even less. It sounds like NREGA workers in Odisha are now considered very well-off because their wages have not increased at all.

Actually, we are very concerned. The government must be really short of money if it is unable to raise NREGA wages to the minimum wage, that too when one third of the rural population is affected by drought. (For your kind information, the minimum wage in Jharkhand is Rs 212 per day.)

We feel that you need the extra five rupees more than we do, since your government has so many expenses. To implement the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission, you will have to spend an additional Rs 1 lakh crore at least on salaries and pensions of government employees. Defence expenditure is about Rs 2.5 lakh crore. You must also be spending a lot of money on tax concessions for big companies, aside from giving them cheap land and other resources.

Considering all this, we NREGA workers have made a collective decision to give up our extra wages for a day and return the extra five rupees to you. We hope that this will help you to keep your corporate friends and government employees happy.

Your faithful workers,

[followed by name, signature and job card number]

This action was initiated by Grameen Swaraj Mazdoor Sangh – a local organisation of rural workers, local activists James Herenj and Ankita said in a press release. Among other activities, members of the Sangh are struggling to secure their rights under NREGA, including employment on demand and payment within 15 days, the press release stated. However, interest in NREGA work is waning in the area because of low wages.

Comments

Other News

70 words that define India, why Doklam stand-off won’t lead to a war, and more

As India celebrates 70 years of freedom, Governance Now looks back and picks 70 words – or phrases, buzzwords, slogans, events – that best define this ancient nation and young democracy. Here, you will find much to be proud of, much tinged with pangs of nostalgia. Then there are entries that

A dose of PPP in healthcare is what the doctor recommends

Dr Kenneth E Thorpe, a professor of health policy and management at Emory University in the US and also the executive director of Partnership to Fight Chronic Diseases (PFCD), says that the government alone cannot do everything. “They don’t have the resources and capacity. So we have to fin

EESL signs MoU with oil companies for energy saving appliances

Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a joint venture company of PSUs of ministry of power, signed an agreement with oil marketing companies (OMCs) of ministry of petroleum and natural gas for distribution of energy efficient appliances under the flagship Unnat Jeevan by Affordable LEDs and applianc

Jammu airport’s upgraded terminal building inaugurated

Union minister for civil aviation, P Ashok Gajapathi Raju inaugurated the upgraded passenger terminal building of Jammu airport. Notably, Jammu airport belongs to the Indian Air Force, and airports authority of India (AAI) maintains a civil enclave for civil aircraft operat

Election Commission shows it has spine

The election commission has become increasingly assertive in the past few months, showing its mettle in times of electoral challenges. Weeks after rooting from EVMs and just days after the poll panel declared votes cast by two rebel Congress legislators in the Rajya Sabha e

Is Amit Shah`s blueprint for 350-plus seats in 2019 Lok Sabha elections achievable?

Video

Current Issue

Opinion

Twitter

Tweets by @governancenow