AHMEDABAD: In Gujarat, MGNREGA workers do not get wages even after hard work. Also, out of 32 lakh active workers in the state, only 35,000 got 100 days of work.
Allegations have been made by different tribal communities of Gujarat that the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act has been inadequate.
The Act stipulating employment to poor labourers has become the centre of controversy in Gujarat. Various groups and political parties have alleged the state government has completely failed to provide full 100 days of employment to the poor.
As on March 14, this year, 46.27 lakh job cards have been issued in Gujarat but out of them, only 18.61 lakh are active job cards.
The number of active workers in Gujarat is 31.52 lakh. Of these, 5.81% belong to the SCs and 39.04% to the STs. As per the notification issued by the Centre on April 1, 2021, Rs 229 has to be paid as daily wage, but only Rs 205 was paid.
Under Section-3 of the Act, the state government is required to provide employment for not less than 100 days, but in Gujarat, employment is not provided for more than 50 days.
Despite the epidemic, employment for only 43 days was provided in 2020-21 and for 49 days in 2021-22.
Despite having 18.61 lakh active job cards in the state, less than 35,000 families have been given 100 days of employment in the last five years.
The increase in wages during the last five years is 15.82%.
That is an average increase in wages of 3.16%. Even if inflation for the last five years is considered at 5%, it would appear that real wages have declined.
According to section-6(2) of the Act, wages under MGNREGA must be equal to the minimum wages of farm labourers. At present, the minimum wage of a farm labourer in Gujarat is Rs 324.20, but the MGNREGA wage is Rs 229.
Prof Hemant Kumar Shah, president, MGNREGA Workers Union, said, “Under MGNREGA, many workers are not paid on time even though it is legally mandatory to pay them within 15 days. For example, at present 4,000 workers in Poshina taluka, 3,800 workers in Khedbrahma taluka, 3,200 workers in Wadali taluka, and 3,000 workers in Idar taluka are in arrears. In many places wages are paid after two months.”
Various tribal organisations have alleged that MGNREGA is demand-based employment law. But when the worker goes to ask for work, the panchayat gives no acknowledgement.
