Protest against move to split MGNREGA wages on caste basis

All India Agricultural Workers’ Union and Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front said that this move will unnecessarily complicate the payment system and expressed fears that it may lead to a reduction in scheme funding and decided to hold a demonstration in the district headquarters on June 21 seeking withdrawal of the order. 

“In a letter to all States and Union Territories, the Rural Development Ministry requested a separate list of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other castes to prepare a budget for the payroll and employment of the MGNREGA Scheme. The move by the Union government is aimed at segregating workers and allocating funds separately. We strongly condemn this anti-labour move by the Centre. We urge the immediate withdrawal of this order,” AIAWU state secretary V Amirthalingam and TNUEF general secretary K Samuelraaj said in a statement. 

“Dividing the workers into sections - the payment of wages will lead to the uncertainty of equal pay for all and the confusion over the simultaneous payment of wages without delay. This advice of the BJP government is against the basic purpose of the rural work programme — the equal law and the denial of the rights of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes workers,” they said. 

Apart from seeking scrapping of the new order, they said that the protest on June 21 would stress the need for increasing the number of working days to 200 and daily wage to Rs 600 and payment of wages without delay.