Workers upset over no increase in budget for NREGA work

NREGA workers from across the district under the banner of NREGA Rozgar Prapat Mazdoor Union (AITUC), Punjab, organised a demonstration in front of the District Administrative Complex (DAC) here on Friday. They expressed resentment over the indifferent attitude of the Union Government towards the NREGA scheme.

Communist Party of India (CPI) national leader Prithipal Singh Marimegha and NREGA Workers’ Union district leader Gurdial Singh were among others who addressed on the occasion. Expressing annoyance over such a disappointing attitude of the Union Government, the leaders alleged it indicates that the government is going to wind up the scheme.

They said the Union Government has not increased the NREGA budget in the present session, rather it has imposed certain restrictions on job work. They said under the restrictions, workers have been deprived of work regarding canals and drainage under the NREGA scheme.

They said bureaucracy is allegedly busy in lining their own pockets by adopting unfair means regarding NREGA works. Even though an announcement regarding the amount to be spent on NREGA had been made, no work is being carried out here. They alleged that NREGA workers are not getting jobs on demand nor are they being given unemployment allowance.

Balkar Singh Valtoha, Gurpreet Singh Gandiwind, Rupinder Kaur Marimegha and Seema Sohal were among others who addressed on the occasion and stressed the need for providing work for 200 days in a year, increasing daily wages to Rs 1,000, and starting unemployment allowance in case the job is not given on demand. The leaders demanded the early payment of the wages soon after the completion of the work.