Dindigul MP R. Sachithanantham addresses a meeting organised by the All India Farm Labourers’ Welfare Association in front of Athur union office in Dindigul district on Thursday.
| Photo Credit: HANDOUT
Promising farm labourers to provide under the MGNREGS without any interruption, Dindigul MP R. Sachidanandam said he would raise the issue in the Lok Sabha during the ensuing budget session.
Speaking at a meeting organised by the All India Farm Labourers’ Welfare Association in Athur union in Dindigul district, he said a majority of villagers in Tamil Nadu depended on the scheme, which provided jobs for a minimum of 100 days in a year.
When the scheme ensured employment and also gave wages, the BJP government stalled the programme citing multiple reasons and excuses, he alleged and said the Centre owed ₹1,300 crore to Tamil Nadu towards the project.
Recently, Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu had impressed upon Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to release the funds to facilitate the State government to disburse to the workers under the MGNREGS.
The CPI (M) MP also said the DMK, during electioneering in 2021, had promised 150 days work under the MGNREGS and hoped that the Chief Minister implemented it. The government should enhance the wage to ₹314 per day to the beneficiaries.
Blaming the BJP government for attempting to dismantle the scheme under some pretext or the other, he said the State government did its best to continue the scheme and promised to raise the issue in Parliament.
Rural Development Minister I. Periasami had also promised to give daily wages to the beneficiaries under the MGNREGS in the State as joblessness in rural habitations might turn into a severe financial crisis for the villagers, where a majority of them depended on the daily wages.
The MP and a delegation submitted a memorandum to officials at Athur Panchayat Union, seeking disbursal of wages to the workers at the earliest.
Published – January 30, 2025 06:02 pm IST