Palampur: Benefits withdrawn, MGNREGA workers protest

Palampur, May 9

Hundreds of workers engaged under MGNREGA yesterday held a protest here under the banner of the Indian Trade Union Congress (INTUC) against the recent notification of the state government depriving them of various benefits. There are over 1.17 lakh workers working under the MGNREGA in the state.

A large number of workers, including women, carrying placards assembled in front of the SDM office and raised slogans in support of their demand. They also submitted a memorandum addressed to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, to the SDM, Palampur.

Sita Ram Saini, state vice-president of the HP Building Construction and the MGNREGA Workers Union, said the government earlier gave them benefits such as pension, grant for marriage of their daughters, compensation in cases of death and accident and scholarships to the children of workers. The board also gave washing machines, induction cookers and bicycles to poor registered workers. The government also met the expenses of the medical treatment of registered workers, he added.

He said the present Congress government discontinued these benefits without assigning any specific reason.

Saini, who is also the state vice-president of INTUC, said they had met with the Chief Minister thrice in this regard, but in vain.