Allow agri work also under MGNREGS to counter labour shortage, say ryots

The farmers’ grievance redressal meeting was held at divisional level in Kumbakonam chaired by the RDO Vijayan in which the farmers raised concerns together about the shortage of workforce for the undergoing samba and thaladi cultivation.

They said that the workers of MGNREGS workers have been engaged in namesake works. However, there is an acute shortage of workers for farm activities and the district administration should recommend the state government to allow these MGNREGS workers into agricultural activities.

They suggested that these workers can be given the wages by both the land owners as well as the state government.

Meanwhile, the farmer Yuvaraj from S Pudhur charged that several brick kilns are functioning along the banks of the rivers in the region and the government should monitor them and prevent them from damaging the river banks.

At the same time, the boozers who consume alcohol are in the habit of throwing broken bottles into the water which poses a threat to the farmers who step into it.

“The boozers should not be allowed to consume liquor in the outlets at least in the rural areas so that this menace would be controlled to a greater extend”, he said.

While Stalin from Thirupurampiyam urged the district officials to recommend the MSP of Rs 2500 per quintal of paddy on par with the states like Kerala and Chattishgarh. He also appealed to the officials to change the timing for the bullock carts transporting river sand.

He said there are more than 300 carts beeline the narrow road at Puliyanchery-Thirupurampiyam which has turned inconvenience to the farmers as well as the residents of the area. He urged the officials either to widen the road or to change the timing for the bullock carts.

Charging that the crop loan has not yet been disbursed at the Swamimalai Primary Cooperative Credit Society this year, Murugesan from Maruthuvakudi urged the officials to disburse the loans at the earliest so that the ongoing cultivation works would not be affected. He also said that there is a shortage of fertilisers like urea and potash in the region. The RDO Vijayan who heard the grievances assured to take them to the district administration and solve them at the earliest.