MGNREGA workers protest at Haryana CM’s office in Karnal

Karnal, September 15

Hundreds of workers employed under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) staged a dharna outside the CM’s camp office at Prem Nagar here today.

They were demanding that their wages should be increased to Rs 600 per day, besides ensuring employment for the entire year.

They tried to gherao the camp office, but the police foiled their attempt. They were stopped some distance away from the CM’s camp office, where they started a dharna.

They handed over a memorandum to Sanjay Bathla, a representative of the CM for the Karnal Assembly constituency. The protesters were also demanding BPL cards, medical cover under the Ayushman Bharat Scheme and Rs 25 lakh to kin of the workers who die while on duty.

They alleged they were not given employment for 100 days, as promised by the government. They said the government should ensure employment for them for the entire year.

“Around 2.82 lakh workers registered under MGNREGA work at various projects for Rs 331 a day, which is exploitation,” sources said.