A report says that under MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act), the largest scheme providing employment to more than 13 crore people in rural areas of the country, the worker’s wages are even lower than the agricultural labourers working in the fields.
Now, when the country’s budget is going to be announced soon, the MGNREGA workers are looking forward to it, hopeful that the government would be making announcements in this Budget keeping in mind their interests. The main objective of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme beginning in the year 2005 is rural development in the country and to provide employment to the people in rural areas. Through this scheme, people in rural areas are guaranteed daily wages and 100 days of employment in a year, but due to low wages, which are not paid in time, the people working under the scheme are left disappointed.
In 2019, the Ministry of Rural Development increased the state-wise wages of MGNREGA workers from Rs 1 to 15 with the approval of the Election Commission during the enactment of the Code of Conduct. At the same time, there was no increase made in the wages of MGNREGA workers from Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, West Bengal, Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep. Despite the raise, MGNERGA workers are far from being satisfied.
Asha Devi, a MGNREGA worker, residing in Kalalia village of Raipur tehsil in Pali district of Rajasthan, informed Gaon Connection over the phone: “Both my husband and I work for MGNREGA. We get Rs 199 a day. Working in the fields, one gets Rs 250 to Rs 300. But then field-work is for a limited period; thereafter, we are on MGNREGA. At least then 100 days of work is found within the village.”
She added: “When the village does not have any work, my husband goes to the city (Jaipur) looking for one. One has to feed the family somehow. If we get work in MGNREGA and get wages on time, why should we leave the village? If the government provides us work and minimum wage of Rs 300, people like us can live in their villages.”
In Rajasthan, MGNREGA wage was increased by Rs 7 in the year 2019-20 and a daily wage of Rs 199 was fixed. Earlier, in the years 2018-19 and 2017-18, the wage rate did not increase by a single rupee and remained at the rate of Rs 192.
MGNREGA wages lower even than agricultural wages
MGNREGA Sangharsh Morcha, which works for MGNREGA workers in the country, conducted a study last year claiming that MGNREGA workers’ wages in different states of the country are less than the workers working in the fields.
Mukesh Goswami, associated with MGNREGA Sangharsh Morcha in Rajasthan, told Gaon Connection: “What happens now in Rs 199? That also does not get to the labourers in time. More than that, the villagers get for the fieldwork. But the government has fixed a wage of Rs 199. If the government fixes the minimum wage rate as per the price rise in rural areas and pays in time, why would the villagers run for work to the cities?”
While talking about inflation in the country, the retail inflation rate has peaked for the last three years in the month of November last year. The retail inflation rate in October was at 4.62 per cent and went up to 5.54 per cent in November, but the wage rate of workers has not increased at this rate. Bihar has increased it by only three rupees in three years. Similarly, in Bihar, the government fixed MGNREGA wages of Rs 168 in the year 2017-18 and increased it marginally by Rs 3 in 2019-20, making it Rs 171.
Jitendra Paswan and his wife Saraswati Devi of Chitoria Gram Panchayat have been working in MGNREGA in Mansahi block of Bihar. Today, Jitendra Paswan is a sarpanch, but his wife still works as a labourer in MGNREGA.
Jitendra Paswan told Gaon Connection over the phone, “MGNREGA is a very good scheme in rural areas as women and men of the village get an opportunity to work together through MGNREGA. But the government has ignored it in the last few years and that is why migration from villages to cities has increased.”
He added: “MGNREGA is giving wage at the rate of Rs 177 in our state today, which is very low, whereas from Rs 200 to 300 is the rate of agricultural wages. But in MGNREGA, the villagers are assured of work. We want that if the government wants to strengthen the rural economy, it should give at least 200 days of work with the minimum wages from at least Rs 400 to 600 so that migration from villages stops.”
Wages not increased in six states
Talking about the increase in MGNREGA wages over the years, a total of ten states and union territories in the country have not increased the wages in 2017-18 and 2018-19. Similarly, wages in six states and union territories were not increased between 2018-19 and 2019-20. The states of West Bengal and Karnataka are also among these states.
Sandeep Sinha, MGNREGA worker of Dhanahalia village in Danta block of Medinipur district, West Bengal said: “We get wages from Rs 300 to 350 for working in the fields, but the wages in MGNREGA are fixed at Rs 191 — the same as last year, it did not increase even by one rupee. MGNREGA in the village is a means of employment for the poor so the minimum wage should be at least Rs 300.”
Sandeep also complains of non-payment of wages in MGNREGA on time. “Sometimes we workers don’t get paid for even six months. They say that the money has not yet come, when the money comes, it will be given while there is a provision for payment to labourers within 15 days. MGNREGA is a very good scheme if the government gives good wages and pays in time.”
Nagappa Sagamkunta of Mamuretty village of Kotkunde post in Raipur district in Karnataka told Gaon Connection over the phone: “MGNREGA wages barely make up enough for the family’s ration. Sometimes, the wages are as delayed as two months. Last year, the government did not increase the wages under MGNREGA. One can save something only out of Rs 300 to 400 as one’s wage and be able to spend on healthcare.”
The workers in distress due to non-receipt of timely payment
The labourers not getting timely wages in many states under MGNREGA is also compelling them to migrate to cities looking for jobs.
Mukesh Goswami of MGNREGA Sangharsh Morcha, Rajasthan told Gaon Connection: “Rajasthan itself could not pay its workers since October 11. So far, about Rs 700 crores of wages and about Rs 1,200 crore towards material cost are yet to be paid. We have written several times to everyone from the chief minister to the union ministers, but the problem has not been solved so far. It is imperative that the workers get timely payment and adequate work.”
On the other hand, six awards were given to the state of Jharkhand for better implementation of MGNREGA schemes in December by the Union Ministry of Rural Development. Jharkhand was given the first prize for payment of wages in time.
Rita Devi, a MGNREGA worker from Jamvo village of Manika block in Latehar district of Jharkhand, said over the phone: “Although we workers get the wages in MGNREGA on time, but the wages are only paid at the rate of Rs 171 which is quite low. Here even field labour is paid Rs 300 so MGNREGA must offer a minimum of Rs 300 as wage. We also seek a minimum of 200 days of assured work instead of the present 100 days.”
MGNREGA workers need longer period of assured work
As a MGNREGA worker from Allipur village of Pisanwa block in Sitapur district of Uttar Pradesh, Rambati also seeks that the government provides for more days at work. “MGNREGA is the only means of employment for those who are landless in the village, who do not cultivate,” said Rambati, adding “So for them, only 100 days of work in a year is insufficient. The government should give work to labourers like us in MGNREGA for at least 200 days and give minimum wages of, at least, Rs 300 so that people stay back and work in the village.”
On the other hand, an initiative was taken by the government of Chhattisgarh to provide the villagers with more work under MGNREGA by guaranteeing employment in rural areas for 150 days of the year.
Dharam, a MGNREGA worker from Bilhama village of Lundra block in Chhattisgarh explained: “At first, 100 days of work was given in MGNREGA on behalf of the Centre, but the state government has given 150 days of work for the last three years. Due to this, those people who were jobless in the village or went to the city to earn got the job in the village itself. But then, our wages are only Rs 176, which is very low. We demand that the government should give at least Rs 300 to a job card worker so that his family may survive.”
Jayati Ghosh, a renowned economist in rural affairs and professor of economics at JNU in Delhi, said: “When the nation’s economy suffers a slowdown, MGNREGA is crucial in order to provide maximum possible employment in rural areas while the central government has not given it as much attention as it deserved. Many states have not yet received the assigned budget in full under MGNREGA by the Centre.”
She added: “MGNREGA at the rural level of the country has been a very successful scheme in itself. At a time, when cities have also been affected by a slowdown and unemployment has increased, the government does not have a better option than MGNREGA to strengthen the economy at the rural level. At such times, the government should pay special attention to MGNREGA.”
