Nawanshahr, August 19 - National Labor Organization (NLO) convener Baldev Bharti said that there are about 18 lakh active MNREGA workers across Punjab. According to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Grant Act-2005, MGNREGA workers are legally entitled to receive the daily wages fixed by the competent authority under the Minimum Wages Act-1948.
The daily wage of agricultural workers has been fixed at 437/-Rs. 26 paise from the date 01/03/2024 by the statistics branch of the labor department, the competent authority to fix the wages of the Punjab government. But MNREGA workers in Punjab are getting only Rs 322/- per day fixed by the central government and each worker is losing Rs 115/- 26 paise per day. It is a matter of great regret that the Punjab Government is not contributing its due share to pay the daily wage as per the Minimum Wages Act-1948. In the era of inflation, the poor, resourceless workers are going through very bad conditions.
He demanded from the Punjab government that the daily wages of MNREGA workers should be made equal to the daily wages fixed by the Labor Department under the Minimum Wages Act-1948 by making their due contribution. Talking about MNREGA MET, Baldev Bharti said that the daily wage for skilled workers has been fixed at 483/-Rs 72 paise by the Labor Department in Punjab from 01 March 2024. But to run the work of MNREGA in a smooth manner, the recruited mates who fall in the skilled category are not being paid equal to this but the daily wage of MNREGA is only Rs 322/- per day. In this way the Mets are losing 161/-Rs 72 paise per day. He demanded that it should be ensured that MNREGA workers get skilled wages.
Demanding that MNREGA workers be given 365 days of employment during the financial year, Baldev Bharti said that for the livelihood of the families of MNREGA workers who are deprived of means grinding in the mill of poverty, they should be increased from 100 days of employment during the financial year i.e. throughout the year. Employment should be given for 365 days. For the convenience of the workers during this employment, provision should be made for ESI and PF etc. in addition to paid holidays on the occasion of illness, accident, festivals and national days.